Box Score (PDF)

LOWELL, Mass. – Junior Christina Rizzi (Manorville, N.Y.) ripped her first career home run in the bottom of the sixth to propel the UMass Lowell softball team (26-17, 14-2 AE) to a hard-fought, 7-6 victory against America East foe UAlbany (25-14, 12-3 AE) on Friday afternoon.
 
Following a six-run UAlbany rally, the game was tied at 6-6 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth until Rizzi stepped up and sent a shot over the fence in left center for what would be the game-winning run.
 
"I thought we started out with all the momentum, but then that one inning, I think we panicked a little bit," said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. "We were thinking too much about the runners, so we gave them the opportunity to come back and tie it, but Rizzi came up with her first career home run and I thought that was a great time to do it."
 
Senior Sydney Barker (Upland, Calif.) added to the offense with a game-high four RBI, while sophomore Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) went 2-for-2 with two RBI. Sophomore Lovina Capria (Deltona, Fla.), who came out of the bullpen in relief in the sixth, earned the decision in the circle for her 15th win of the season.
 
After a rain delay of almost three hours, the River Hawks got right to work, quickly ending the top of the first with a smooth double play before Moccio sent one high and deep over the fence in left to put the home team ahead early.
 
Although both sides stranded a runner in the second, UMass Lowell was able to extend its lead to 3-0 in the third thanks to a hard-hit single by Moccio and a sacrifice fly by Barker.
 
The River Hawks continued to play lock-down defense in the fourth with another textbook double play and a diving tag at first by Moccio that ended the at-bat with a Great Dane on third.
 
Talcik retired the UAlbany side in order in the top of the fifth, allowing her squad to pull away, 6-0, in the home half of the inning on a base-clearing double by Barker. However, the visitors answered with a six-run rally on two errors and three hits, including a three-run homer by Amelia Ely to force the 6-6 stalemate that would eventually be broken by Rizzi.
 
Because of the rain, the second game of the twin bill originally scheduled for Friday was postponed and the teams will now play a doubleheader to decide the league's regular-season champion tomorrow, Saturday, May 4, beginning at 12 p.m.