ALBANY, N.Y. – A 4-1 decision at the hands of UAlbany (22-13, 9-4 America East) resulted in the first America East series loss for the UMass Lowell softball team (22-14, 6-3 America East) on Sunday afternoon.
 
The River Hawks tallied to two of the team's four total hits in a final inning effort to battle back into contention for the win, but offensive struggles proved to be the difference.
 
Junior Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) scored the lone UMass Lowell run with a solo homer, her seventh of the season. Senior Tori Mueller (Clovis, Calif.) turned in a quality showing by recording two hits. Despite the loss, freshman Jen Slanovec (Bethlehem, Pa.) achieved a new season high in strikeouts for herself by sitting down six Great Dane batters.
 
UAlbany worked their way to a 3-0 advantage early in the ball game. The hosts opened the scoring in their first plate appearances with an RBI double to right center. Later, a two-run homer over the right field wall extended the Great Dane lead in the third inning.
 
The River Hawks bit into the deficit in their return to the plate, though. Tulley got UMass Lowell on the board by driving a shot to left center field, clearing the wall and making it a 3-1 game.
 
In the sixth frame, shortstop Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) displayed outstanding effort to achieve the first out of the inning by running over to the third base line to make a diving grab. UAlbany would make an effort of their own via a solo home run by the next batter to move their lead to 4-1.
 
Graduate student Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and sophomore Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) got on base in the seventh inning, but the River Hawks were unable to bring them around to score.
 
UMass Lowell returns home to play the final two games of the series vs. Maine with a doubleheader slated for a 2 p.m. start on Wednesday, April 27, at River View Field.