LEXINGTON, Va. – Russ Olive (Chelmsford, Mass.) connected on a pair of two-run home runs as the UMass Lowell baseball team hung on to defeat VMI, 8-4, in the first game of the three-game series.
 
Olive had a game-high four RBI, as his blasts came in the first and seventh innings, and the River Hawks (4-7) picked up their second win in three games. Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) homered as well, and added two RBI and three runs. 
 
The Keydets (7-5) made it interesting with a pair in the seventh and had the bases loaded, but Connor Metelski (Wall Township, N.J.) got the last two outs on a double play.
 
The River Hawks took control in the first inning off of Olive's two-run shot, coming with one out after Passatempo reached on an error. 
 
VMI answered with one in the bottom of the first, by loading the bases with no out and getting a sacrifice fly.
 
UMass Lowell starter Jack Riley (Worcester, Mass.) saw the Keydets have a runner reach third in each of the first three innings, but was able to only allow the lone run. The redshrt-junior earned his first win as a River Hawk, allowing two runs in six innings with six strikeouts. UMass Lowell added its third run in the third, as Colby Maiola (North Reading, Mass.) walked, stole second, reached third on a failed pick off and crossed the plate on a Cam Climo (Billerica, Mass.) sac fly.
 
Olive's second homer capped a four-run seventh inning which broke the contest open and gave the visitors a 7-2 advantage. The frame started with a John Polichetti (Atkinson, N.H.) double, and he scored on a two-out error which allowed Michael Young (Chester, N.J.) to reach. After a steal, Young scored on Passatempo single before Olive stepped up to the plate.
 
Passatempo added his third homer of the year with a solo shot in the top of the ninth to provide the four-run lead.
 
The series will wrap up tomorrow as the teams will play a doubleheader starting at noon, with Sunday's finale getting moved due to inclement weather.