LOWELL, Mass. — For the third time in program history, the UMass Lowell baseball team completed a three-game America East series as the River Hawks outscored UMBC, 17-2, in the team's doubleheader at LeLacheur Park on Saturday afternoon.
UMass Lowell (15-17, 6-6) took game one, 9-2, and cruised to an 8-0 shutout in the finale behind a 10-strikeout, complete game from
Andrew Ryan (Rochester, Mass.).
Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) was the catalyst at the plate, going 6-for-8 with five runs, three RBI and two doubles.
Cam Climo (Billerica, Mass.) and
Ted Leathersich (Beverly, Mass.) combined for eight RBI and four hits, as well.
The conference sweep was the first for UMass Lowell at LeLacheur Park, as the two previous both happened on the road at UMBC (2014) and Hartford (2015).
GAME 1
After a scoreless two innings, UMBC put a pair on the board in the third on a double down the left field line by Christian Torres.
In the bottom of the second, the River Hawks loaded the bases with no out, but could not take advantage and stranded all three runners.
The hosts would not let their next opportunity pass by, however, as they rallied for two runs in their half of the third to knot the game at 2-2. The first two batters reached by way of a walk and single, setting up Leathersich with a first and third situation.
The sophomore cut into the deficit with a sac fly, and after another walk and a pitching change,
Ben Prada (Laurel, Md.) singled home the tying run on a rocket into right.
The four-run fifth began with
Nick Barry (Grafton, Mass.) getting hit and Maiola beating out a bunt single. Two batters later, Olive singled through the right side to give the River Hawks their first lead of the day, and Passatempo delivered the big shot with his two-run double to the wall in right center. With the bases loaded,
Joey Castellanos (Nutley, N.J.) capped off the frame with an RBI grounder to third, extending the lead to 6-2.
In the bottom of the eighth, the River Hawks loaded the bases with no outs and Climo ripped a single back up the middle to open up the 8-2 buffer. Barry added a sacrifice fly to cap off the scoring in game one.
In both the eighth and ninth innings, UMBC loaded the bases with no outs and came away with no runs out it. In the final frame, three straight walks were followed by three strikeouts as
Luke Tomczyk (Chili, N.Y.) sealed the win.
Jack Riley (Worcester, Mass.) struck out six in 5.1 innings in the no-decision, and
Connor Metelski (Wall Township, N.J.) picked up the win with 2.2 scoreless frames.
GAME 2
The hosts took control of the series finale with five runs in the bottom of the first, as the River Hawks put together five hits, four of which drove in runs, as Ryan picked up the second complete game of his career, but the first full seven-inning performance.
Passatempo continued his day with a single to score to first run after Maiola walked and advanced to second on a
Mark Tumosa (Willington, Conn.) single. Two batters later, Climo drove in his third and fourth runs of the twin bill with a single to left.
A pair of freshman continued the scoring as Castellanos singled to right and
Kyle Maurice (Exeter, N.H.) doubled to the wall in left center to score Castellanos for the final run of the frame.
Prada added UMass Lowell's sixth run in the third, as his single scored Maurice from second. Leathersich added a two-run double in the fourth as the River Hawks went up 8-0.
UMass Lowell takes its five-game winning streak into a home matchup against UConn on April 18 at 3 p.m.
