Game 1 (PDF) | Game 2 (PDF) | Highlights | Postgame Interview
LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell baseball team (18-12, 7-3) clinched its third consecutive America East series with a doubleheader sweep against the Stony Brook Seawolves (16-16, 4-4) on Friday at LeLacheur Park. The River Hawks took game one, 7-5, and shutout the guests, 4-0, in the second game.
Russ Olive (Chelmsford, Mass.) drove in five runs on the day, while
Collin Duffley (Manchester, N.H.) pitched a complete game shutout in game two, and recorded seven strikeouts. In the series opener,
Andrew Ryan (Rochester, Mass.) earned his fourth victory of the year, striking out nine over seven innings, allowing two runs.
The sweep marked the first time in program history that the River Hawks have recorded two America East doubleheader sweeps in the same season
"Anytime you can beat the premier team in this league twice in a day, it's a special day," remarked Head Coach
Ken Harring. "To see where we were four years ago and where we are now, Stony Brook is the measuring stick, our guys showed up today and played well in both games. It was all about pitching and timely hits today, and what can you say about
Collin Duffley's game-two performance; he's so dominant every time he's out there."
Trailing 2-1 entering the sixth inning of game one, UMass Lowell scored three times to open a 4-2 lead and take control.
Colby Maiola (North Reading, Mass.) led off the frame with walk and stole second, and came around to score on Olive's RBI single to even the score. One batter later,
Michael Young (Chester, N.J.) singled to put the hosts on top, 3-2. The inning was capped off by
Chris Sharpe's (Burlington, Mass.) single to score Young.
The Seawolves ended the River Hawks' three-game streak of scoring the first run, as the guests broke the scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the fourth inning. Stony Brook loaded the bases but could put up a pair on a single and sacrifice fly.
UMass Lowell got one back in the bottom of the fifth when Sharpe stood on third with a two-out triple and
Oscar Marchena (Miami, Fla.) singled him home.
After the River Hawks' big sixth inning, Olive picked up his third RBI of the first contest with a two-run single through the drawn in infield, scoring Maiola and
Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.).
Stony Brook scored one in the eighth, but Olive showed off his arm and threw out a runner trying to score from first on a double to end the frame.
M. Young didn't wait long to get the run back, as he homered to right field on the second pitch of the bottom of the frame, putting the River Hawks up 7-3.
The Seawolves loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth but could only push two across before
Nick Rand (Hyde Park, N.J.) shut the door for the win.
To begin game two, UMass Lowell put together four straight singles before recording an out to take a 2-0 lead in the first. Sharpe and Marchena singled to put runners on the corners, while Passatempo and Maiola drove them in with base hits to right.
Later in the frame, Olive recorded second multi-RBI hit of the day with a single that got past the second baseman and into right, as the hosts took a 4-0 lead after the first.
Both teams will take the field for game three tomorrow, first pitch is set for 12 p.m.
