LOWELL, Mass. – For the second game in a row, the UMass Lowell softball team (7-7, 3-0 AE) earned an 8-0, walk-off victory against UAlbany (4-11, 0-3 AE), this time thanks to a two-run home run by graduate student
Christina Rizzi (Manorville, N.Y.) in the bottom of the sixth.
With the decision, the River Hawks swept the three-game weekend America East series against the Great Danes. The team remains undefeated at home in 2021 (5-0).
"I thought overall this weekend, we came out ready to play," said Head Coach
Danielle Henderson. "We performed well, had great at-bats. It was different people at different times. We had two pitchers throw shutouts. I just think it was important that we took advantage of today because you don't know what this season is going to entail."
Graduate student
Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.) launched a solo shot in the first inning to become the River Hawks' all-time home run leader with her 36th career long ball.
Rizzi paced the squad in the contest, going 3-for-3 with five RBI. Junior
Tori Mueller (Clovis, Calif.) chipped in with a personal-best two hits, as well. Sophomore
Chelsea Runyon (Scripps Ranch, Calif.) earned her first win of the season in the circle with six strikeouts in the shutout.
Cashman led off the game with her record-setting blast to give the River Hawks the early, 1-0 advantage.
Runyon retired the first six straight batters she faced, while giving up just four hits total in the contest. In the third inning, the River Hawks made the score 3-0 when Rizzi sacrificed senior
Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.) and Cashman into scoring position, allowing both runners to cross the plate on a high-hit fly ball by senior
Sara Siteman (Hudson, N.H.).
Rizzi accounted for the final five River Hawk runs, doubling down the left field line to clear the bases in the fourth before ending the game early on her second home run of the season in the sixth. UAlbany threatened to cut into the lead in its final at-bat, but Runyon forced a pair of flyouts en route to the 8-0 win.
The River Hawks continue their eight-game homestand next weekend with a three-game series against America East opponent Maine on Friday-Saturday, April 2-3.
