River Hawk Offense Explodes to Sweep Twin Bill at Yale

Tuesday, March 19

New Haven, Conn.

2PM

University of Massachusetts Lowell

9-12

Yale

6-10

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UMass-Lowell	0	2	3	0	0	1	1	7	11	3
Yale	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	3	5	2

Photos

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UMass-Lowell	1	1	2	5	0	9	11	0
Yale	0	0	0	0	1	1	4	1

River Hawk Offense Explodes to Sweep Twin Bill at Yale

3/19/2019 7:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score Postgame Interview Photos

Box score (PDF): Game 1 | Game 2

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A perfect 7-for-7 effort at the plate from junior Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.) propelled the UMass Lowell softball team (10-12) to sweep a doubleheader at Yale (6-11) on Tuesday afternoon.

The River Hawks first picked up a 7-3 victory in game one before defeating the Bulldogs, 9-1, in five innings in game two.

"I thought we bounced back well from a long trip over spring break, having to change time zones" said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. "We had good energy in both games and I thought our bats showed up today."

Cashman's performance included a grand slam and two doubles for a 1.714 slugging percentage. Senior Sydney Barker (Upland, Calif.) added to the offense, batting .571 with two home runs and three RBI. Junior Marianne Sparacia (Spring Hill, Fla.) and sophomore Olivia Labbe (Rochester, N.Y.) each finished with two hits on the day, as well. Senior pitcher Kaysee Talcik (Shelton, Conn.) recorded six strikeouts in the game one win, while sophomore Lovina Capria (Deltona, Fla.) allowed just four hits in game two.

The Bulldogs were able to break open the scoring in game one thanks to a defensive miscue in the bottom of the first inning. The difference was short-lived, though, as Barker went yard with a two-run shot in the top of the second before visitors put together a three-run rally in the third, stretching the lead to 5-1. Cashman played a role in two of those of those runs, knocking in freshman Tori Mueller (Clovis, Calif.) on a two-bagger and scoring on a wild pitch, while sophomore Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) also added a RBI in the inning.

Talcik retired eight straight Bulldogs until Giovy Webb drove a solo homer over the fence in left to make it a three-run ballgame in the home half of the fourth. However, Talcik would force Yale to go three-up and three-down once again in the fifth, allowing her squad to pull away, 6-2, in the sixth on a RBI double down the left field line by junior Christina Rizzi (Manorville, N.Y.).

Yale threatened in the bottom of the sixth, bringing the tying run to the plate, but the River Hawk defense held the home to team just one run before getting it back in the seventh to secure the 7-3 outcome.

In game two, Labbe helped the River Hawks jump out to an early lead, getting aboard with a base hit in the first and eventually scoring on a wild pitch. Barker then tagged her second home run of the day in the next inning before Labbe and Cashman each crossed the plate in the third to give UMass Lowell a 4-0 edge.

The River Hawks rallied for five runs on four hits in the fourth with the help of a Cashman grand slam to put the game out of reach, and although Yale broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fifth, Capria held the home team to just one to seal the 9-1, run-rule decision.

The River Hawks, who now lead the all-time series against Yale, 3-0, are back in Connecticut next week when they visit UConn for a single game beginning at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27.