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MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Senior Alisha Welch (Langley, British Columbia) hit .714 (5-7) with three doubles and one run scored to lead the UMass Lowell softball team (4-8) to a 1-1 finish on day two of the Holy City Showdown hosted by the College of Charleston.
 
The River Hawks picked up an exciting, 2-1 win in walk-off fashion against Chattanooga in their first game of the day. The team then held North Carolina scoreless through three innings in game two before eventually facing a hard-fought, 3-1 setback.
 
"We showed up as a totally different team today," said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. "We were more focused right from the start and had a purpose with everything we did. On defense, we were sharp and we were talking. On top of that, our pitchers did a great job in the circle today."

Freshmen Marianne Sparacia (Spring Hill, N.J.) and Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.) both batted .500 on the day to add to the offensive effort for the River Hawks. Sparacia, who totaled four hits, added one RBI. Junior Madison Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) and sophomore Sydney Barker (Upland, Calif.) chipped in with two hits and one RBI apiece, as well. Sophomore Kaysee Talcik (Shelton, Conn.) picked up her second win of the season in game one, while senior Lauren Ramirez (Dracut, Mass.) registered six strikeouts in her complete-game performance against UNC.
 
Talcik and the River Hawk defense shut down the Mocs' offense in the early innings of game one, allowing UMass Lowell to take a 1-0 edge in the bottom of the second. In that at-bat, Welch drove a two-bagger to right to put herself in scoring position for M. Alcorn, who followed with a RBI double down the third base line.
 
Cashman logged the team's second triple of the young season in the third inning, but the River Hawks were unable to capitalize. Talcik continued to control the game from the circle, allowing just two Chattanooga hits through the first four innings, until the Mocs knotted the score at 1-1 in the fifth on two hits and a fielding miscue.
 
Chattanooga threatened to break the stalemate in the sixth with runners on the corners, although Cashman would cleanly field a ground ball and throw onto first to help UMass Lowell get out of the inning unscathed. It would all come down to the bottom of the seventh, as M. Alcorn singled and advanced to third thanks to a sacrifice bunt from senior Tori Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) and a base hit by Cashman. Sparacia stepped in next, driving the difference-maker to center to score secure the 2-1, walk-off victory.
 
The River Hawks carried the momentum into game two of the day against North Carolina, loading the bases with one out in the top of the first, although the Tar Heels would make a play at the plate to keep the game scoreless.
 
UNC also left the bases loaded in the first before both sides combined for three runners stranded in the next two innings. In the fourth, Welch and senior Emily O'Brien (Salem, N.H.) logged back-to-back base hits, but North Carolina turned a double play to end the at-bat.
 
The Tar Heels took advantage of a pair of fielding errors to snap the scoreless tie in their next trip to the dish with three unearned runs. After Cashman and Sparacia each got on in the fifth, the River Hawks had two runners in scoring position in the sixth, thanks to a single through the left side from Barker and a double from Welch. However, UMass Lowell did not score a run until the seventh, when Barker drove in T. Alcorn to make it a 3-1 decision.
 
The River Hawks will wrap up the weekend at the Holy City Showdown against host College of Charleston tomorrow, Sunday, March 12, beginning at 1:30 p.m.