AMHERST, Mass. – For the third consecutive year, the UMass Lowell baseball team defeated Massachusetts, downing the host 4-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field.
 
Four River Hawk (12-17) pitchers limited the Minutemen (9-14) to five hits and struck out seven batters, in a fast-paced contest that lasted under two and a half hours.
 
After a quick four scoreless innings, the visitors put a pair on the board with a two-out rally, started by a Ben Prada (Laurel, Mass.) infield single. Colby Maiola (North Reading, Mass.) drove in his sixth run of the week with a triple, and Mark Tumosa (Willington, Conn.) plated him with a single to left.
 
UMass Lowell added on in the following frame after Vinnie Martin (Lodi, N.J.) and Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) recorded back-to-back singles and stood on second and third after an error. Joey Castellanos (Nutley, N.J.) singled to score Martin, and a wild pitch allowed Passatempo to cross the plate and extend the buffer to 4-0.
 
In his first career start, John Polichetti (Atkinson, N.H.) cruised through four innings, scattering two hits and striking out a pair.
 
The Minutemen got onto the board on a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning on two walks and a fielder's choice.
 
Russ Olive (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Ryan Lever were the only batters to record multiple hits. Tim Fallon (Prince Frederick, Md.) picked up his first win of the season, while David Hoar III (Peabody, Mass.) earned his first career save.
 
In an adjusted schedule, the River Hawks entertain UMBC this weekend at LeLacheur Park, with the opener on Friday evening at 5 p.m. The teams will play their doubleheader as originally scheduled on Saturday.