LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell baseball team homered three times, but could not keep pace with No. 24 UConn as the visitors picked up a 13-17 victory on Wednesday night.
The loss snapped the River Hawks (15-18) five game-winning streak, and it was their first loss at LeLacheur Park in 2018.
Russ Olive (Chelmsford, Mass.),
Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) and
Colby Maiola (North Reading, Mass.) all picked up home runs, as the trio has combined for 20 of the team's 24 long balls.
After the visitors took a 2-0 lead on a RBI single in the opening frame, Olive brought the River Hawks even with a two-run shot to right center. Maiola led off the inning with a walk, and two batters later Olive stepped up to the plate.
After the single for UConn (20-11-1), starter
John Polichetti (Atkinson, N.H.) retired the next nine batters, including a pair of strikeouts.
The score remained 2-2 until the fourth when Passatempo snuck a homer down that just stayed fair down the right field line, giving UMass Lowell its first lead of the ballgame.
UConn came right back in the fifth with seven runs on seven hits, which began with a solo shot, as Chris Winkel sent his game-tying shot to right. Following the home run, the Huskies had a runner cut down at third, but loaded the bases and retook the lead on an infield single. Back-to-back two-run doubles broke open an 8-3 advantage for the visitors.
The River Hawks bounced back with four runs in their half of the fifth to climb back within a pair. Maiola added his solo shot in the bottom of the fifth to cut the deficit to 9-4. After a double and hit by pitch,
Ted Leathersich (Beverly, Mass.) sent a two-bagger past third base to score
Mark Tumosa (Willington, Conn.) to make it a four-run game.
With runners on second and third,
Cam Climo (Billerica, Mass.) blooped a single into center that scored both and brought the hosts within 9-7.
UConn added four runs in the seventh to reclaim its six-run advantage at 13-7, and a lone run in the eighth.
The River Hawks are back at LeLacheur for a three-game series this weekend against Maine, games will be played on Saturday and Sunday.
