LOWELL, Mass. – A seventh inning rally and walk-off single led the UMass Lowell baseball team (19-23, 9-11 AE) team to a 6-5 victory over the UAlbany Great Danes (18-19, 7-13 AE) on Saturday afternoon. The River Hawks clinched the series victory and will look to complete the sweep tomorrow afternoon.
 
"Real gutty win today. We've been on the other end of these kinds of games before and to return the favor today was great," said head coach Ken Harring. "I think the story of the game is what Ryan [Towle] did coming out of the bullpen. That one inning was tough for him, but we found a way to win after that. Ryan gets the MVP from me today."
 
Freshman Jacob Humphrey (Standish, ME.) continued his impressive rookie campaign with a team-high three hits on the afternoon, adding in two runs and another stolen base. Sophomore Roddy Hernandez (Jersey City, N.J.) tallied two hits and two RBIs while senior Gerry Siracusa (Kinnelon, N.J.) picked up the game-winning RBI single in ninth.
 
On the mound, freshman Hayden Duke (Mattapoisett, Mass.) got the start and threw 2.2 innings and allowed two earned runs. Graduate student Ryan Towle (Westfield, Mass.) threw 6.1 innings, striking out six and allowed three earned runs. Towle earned the win, improving to 3-5 on the season.
 
Prior to the start of the game, the River Hawks welcomed back members of the 2001 and 2002 College World Series teams. The history-making teams were honored before first pitch, taking the field with the current team and coaching staff.
 
Hayden Duke started the game well for the River Hawks, throwing a 1-2-3 first inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Jacob Humphrey's leadoff single got things rolling for the River Hawks. The freshman stole second before he advanced to third on a groundout. Humphrey was brought home on an RBI single from freshman Brandon Fish (Londonderry, N.H.) to give UMass Lowell the 1-0 lead early. The Great Danes responded and scored twice in the second to take a 2-1 lead.
 
Ryan Towle took over on the mound with two out and the bases loaded in the third inning. The graduate student threw just two pitches and escaped the inning, keeping the River Hawks within one. After a scoreless third for the River Hawks, the Great Danes added another run on a wild pitch in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. Towle struck out three in the inning.
 
In the fourth, Roddy Hernandez singled to center to bring in senior Robert Gallagher (Mullica Hill, N.J.) and sophomore Fritz Genther (Kingston, N.Y.), tying the game at 3-3. UAlbany added two runs in the top of the fifth to retake the lead at 5-3. UMass Lowell couldn't cut into the lead and went into the sixth trailing by two. Neither side scored in the sixth, sending the game to seventh with the Great Danes leading 5-3.
 
Freshman Alex Luccini (Hopedale, Mass.) was walked with two out in the bottom of the seventh before Jacob Humphrey tripled to left center to bring in Luccini, making it a 5-4 game. Junior Ryan Proto (Centerville, Mass.) followed with an RBI single to score Humphrey and tie the game. As the game moved to the eighth, Ryan Towle struck out two to retire the side in a 1-2-3 inning. The River Hawks couldn't take the lead in the bottom half of the inning, sending the game to ninth tied at five.
 
Towle pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, giving UMass Lowell a chance to steal the victory. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Alex Luccini was hit by a pitch to put a runner on for the River Hawks. Jacob Humphrey singled to left to put runners on first and second, forcing the Great Danes into a pitching change. With two on and two out, Gerry Siracusa ripped a single into center, scoring Luccini, and winning the game for the River Hawks in walk-off fashion.
 
"Finding a way to win today against a divisional opponent, to win the series and have a chance to sweep tomorrow, is big for our club."
 
The series finale is set for 12:00 p.m. at LeLacheur Park on Sunday, May 1.