HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. – UMass Lowell batters banged out eleven hits en route to a 12-7 season opening win in a see-saw battle against Canisius, Friday afternoon, at the Ting Park in Holly Springs.

"Up and down the lineup we got really good at bats," according to UMass Lowell Baseball Head Coach Ken Harring.  "The lineup was really balanced and the guys fed off each other.  We were aggressive; our approach was to get on base and apply pressure. It was good to see."

Sophomore left fielder Robert Gallagher's (Mullica Hills, N.J.) one-out two-strike two-run single, ripped down the right field line, broke a 5-5 tie and put the River Hawks ahead to stay in the bottom of the fifth inning.  

"That was a great piece of hitting," said Harring.  "It was lefty on lefty and he stayed on the ball and hit it hard."

Gallagher and sophomore Gerry Siracusa (Kinnelon, N.J.) led the River Hawk hit parade with three-hits a apiece.  Gallagher in addition to driving in a pair of runs stole three bases and scored a pair of runs.  Siracusa also scored twice and drove in a run.

UMass Lowell had jumped out to an early lead with a run in the first on a senior Ciaran Devenney two-out single through the left side of the infield and added three runs in the second, two crossing the plate on freshman Jiovel Lantigua's (Spring Hill, Florida) two-out bases loaded single drilled up the middle into centerfield.

"Devenney's single was a momentum changer," according to Harring.  "Lantigua's single was a great piece of hitting, a great at bat."

River Hawk starter senior right hander Henry Funaro (Lowell, Mass.) cruised through the first three-innings allowing just one walk.  He ran into trouble in the fourth, not all of his own doing.  The game was delayed for nearly a half-hour because of problems with the artificial turf on the pitcher's mound.  With two out and one on an error prolonged the inning and a ball lost in the sun allowed a couple of runs to score as Canisius plated four in the inning.

The River Hawks got one back in the bottom of the fourth but Canisus evened the score with a run in the top of the fifth knotting the game at five and setting the stage for Gallagher big hit in the bottom of the inning.

UMass Lowell added two in the sixth one on a wild pitch and one on an RBI single by Siracusa.  After Canisius scored twice in the seventh the River Hawks put the game away with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.  One crossed the scored on an error, one came in on an infield out and the final run crossed the plate on a flyball.

Sophomore closer Joshua Becker (Burlington, Mass.) did his job in impressive fashion.  He struck out six in his two-innings of work to earn the save.

"Six punch outs, he was on," said Harring.  "His velocity has jumped and it was noticeable."

The win went to junior Trevor Thompson (Eastvale, Calif.) who threw two scoreless innings after Funaro began to struggle.

The River Hawks stole eleven bases in the ball game.  Gallagher and Keagan Calero (Rochester, N.H.) each had three, Siracusa had two.

UMass Lowell and Canisius will play two games tomorrow.  Sophomore righthander Matt Draper (Lowell, Mass.) is expected to make his River Hawk debut in the 12 noon start and grad student Collin Duffley (Manchester, N.H.) will get the call in the nightcap.