VESTAL, N.Y. – A mighty effort to tie in the seventh inning by the third seeded UMass Lowell softball team (27-19, 10-7 America East) was not to be, as the squad fell short, 6-5, to second seeded UAlbany (24-15, 10-6 America East).
 
The River Hawks brought home one score in each of the final two frames and threatened late but were unable to even the second-round matchup of the America East Championship.
 
Graduate student Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) knocked in a pair of runs for the River Hawks. Sophomores Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.) and Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) both recorded an RBI with a two-hit game. Sophomore Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) went deep for the team's first home run of the postseason.
 
The Great Danes jumped out to an early lead with a three run second inning, but the River Hawks returned the punches in the third frame. An RBI double to the right center gap by White got UMass Lowell on the board. Fisher followed up by punching in a single to center field to bring White across to score. Then, Moccio dug in and doubled to left field, bringing the game level at 3-3.
 
UAlbany led off the home half of the inning with a home run and went on to take a 6-3 advantage. UMass Lowell would retaliate later, in the sixth inning, when Frederick blasted a home run to right center to cut into the deficit.
 
A walk, single, and hit by pitch loaded the bases for the River Hawks in the final frame. With two outs, Moccio forced a walk to allow one run to come in to narrow the gap to just a single score. However, the efforts came up short, as the final out was recorded to conclude the game, 6-5.
 
The River Hawks take on the hosts, Binghamton, on Friday, May 13, at 1:30 p.m. Results from tomorrow's games will determine additional matchups. UMass Lowell will require two wins on Friday for a chance to compete for the America East crown on Saturday.