LEXINGTON, Va. -- The UMass Lowell baseball team connected on four home runs en route to a victory in game one as the River Hawks picked up the series win with the split in Saturday's doubleheader against VMI.

Russ Olive (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Colby Maiola (North Reading, Mass.) each hit a pair of long balls in the 9-5 win, as the duo combined for eight RBI, seven hits and six runs. Olive went 4-for-5 in the contest and finished the weekend with four homers, seven hits, eight RBI and crossed the plate five times to pace the River Hawks (5-8). 

The Keydets (8-6) avoided the three-game sweep with a 6-3 victory in the final game, as a three-run home run in the sixth inning was the difference. 

Game 1

For the second time in as many games, the junior put the River Hawks ahead in the first inning, sending a three-run shot over the fence in right on the fourth pitch he saw. Vinnie Martin (Lodi, N.J.) and Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) each reached on a single and a free pass, respectively, to set up Olive.
 
The score remained 3-0 until the top of the fifth, when Olive and Maiola went back-to-back with one out to put the visitors on top by five.
 
After the Keydets recorded their first hit and baserunner in the bottom half of the frame, they got on the scoreboard by a bases-loaded walk. With a pair of hits in the sixth, VMI scored three times and pulled within 5-4.
 
UMass Lowell responded with two runs in the seventh to go up back by three at 7-4. With one out, Olive picked up his fourth hit to spark a rally as Maiola doubled him home. The third straight hit of the inning scored Maiola as Climo singled to plate the River Hawks' seventh run.
 
VMI added a lone run in the bottom of the seventh to score in three straight innings, but UMass Lowell's bullpen was able to keep the hosts at bay over the last two frames. Maiola capped off the scoring with his second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the top of the ninth.

Andrew Ryan (Rochester, Mass.) picked up his first win of the year, striking out four in 5.1 innings.

Game 2

The Keydets earned their first lead of the series with a two-run home run in the first inning, and starter Kyle Staats was able to limit the UMass Lowell offense to three runs in six innings. 

A pair of RBI ground outs by Olive and Maiola in the second brought the River Hawks even at 2-2, but VMI retook the lead in the home half on a two-out single. Nick Barry (Grafton, Mass.) singled to lead off the frame, and two batters later stood at third following a Passatempo double. Olive scored Barry after a rundown, and Maiola was able to send Passatempo across the plate.

Another VMI fielding error led to UMass Lowell tying the game, 3-3, in the fourth as Oscar Marchena (Miami, Fla.) singled and stole third after a walk, then scored on an error by the shortstop. With two outs in the sixth, Will Malbon delivered the key blast for the Keydets to earn the win in the series finale.

UMass Lowell heads to Durham, N.C. for a mid-week clash against Gardner-Webb on March 13 at 4 p.m.