Box Score (PDF)
LOWELL, Mass. – Sophomore
Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) recorded a pair of hits and four RBI, as the UMass Lowell softball team (23-14, 11-0 AE) defeated America East foe UMBC (23-18, 4-7 AE), 9-3, in this weekend's series finale.
The River Hawks improve to 11-0 in conference play this season with the three-game sweep against the Retrievers.
"It's very important to get these games in," said Head Coach
Danielle Henderson. "We were able to prep all week for UMBC's pitcher and every time we faced her, I thought we did a better job. Our mindset is to just keep fighting, and do it every single inning and not back down no matter what the score is."
Three other River Hawks added a pair of hits on the day, including junior
Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.), who added two RBI, and classmate
Melany Sheldon (Garbagnate, Milan, Italy), who tagged two doubles on the day. Senior
Brianna West (Fairfield, Conn.) rounded out the River Hawks with multiple hits in the contest. Sophomore
Lovina Capria (Deltona, Fla.) fanned six batters in her 14th win of the season.
Capria forced a big strikeout in the first inning to strand a Retriever at third, allowing her squad to jump out to an early lead when Moccio drove a two-bagger to right center that scored Cashman all the way from first.
UMBC left runners in scoring position in the next two innings, as well, before scratching a pair of runs across in the top of the fourth on a single and a sacrifice fly to pull in front, 2-1. However, the River Hawks' bats came alive in the home half of the inning, rallying for five runs on six hits, including a two-run double by Cashman that gave her squad a 6-2 advantage.
The visitors were able to get one run back in the fifth, but a heads-up double play by the River Hawks made it a short at-bat. The home team continued to pressure at the plate and used a big, three-run home run by Moccio in the bottom of the sixth en route to the 9-3 decision.
UMass Lowell now leads the all-time series against UMBC, 9-8. Up next, the team will host Hartford on Wednesday, April 24 for a 3 p.m. tilt.
