LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell baseball team (19-31, 9-12 AE) had a strong showing, but ultimately fell to the Hofstra Pride (26-24, 13-13 CAA) 7-5 in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at LeLacheur Park.
 
Sophomore LJ Keevan (Holden, Mass.) got the start and went 5.1 innings with two strikeouts and allowed 10 hits and four earned runs. Keevan had a strong outing on the mound and made several big defensive plays to get outs. Junior Brendan Williams (Auburn, N.Y.) had an efficient day on the mound and went 1.2 innings with two strikeouts and just two hits.
 
Sophomore Jacob Humphrey (Standish, Maine) continued his hot streak and went 4-4 on Sunday with three RBIs, one run, one walk and three stolen bases. Freshman Robert Geisler (Bayonne, N.J.) tallied one hit and scored one run. The freshman had a strong showing behind the plate and made a few big defensive plays. Four other River Hawks tallied a hit and the defense had its strongest performance of the weekend, playing an error-free game.
 
"We showed and played much better today. LJ [Keevan] was good and I thought we had pretty good at-bats," said head coach Ken Harring. "At the end of the day, the free bases late cost us. We didn't execute when we needed to, but a better game for us today. LJ and Brendan Williams were good for us today and [Jacob] Humphrey is getting hot at the right time."
 
Hofstra took an early lead after a two-run home run in the first inning. The River Hawks got an immediate response behind Jacob Humphrey's RBI single that scored graduate student Robert Gallagher (Mullica Hill, N.J.). Sophomore Brandon Fish (Londonderry, N.H.) had two great defensive plays to get outs early in the game after returning to the lineup this weekend off an injury.
 
Robert Geisler showed off his arm early as well, throwing out Hofstra's speedy Dylan Palmer at third on a stolen base attempt. Keevan got in on the defensive action, making a nice line drive grab and throw to first for a double play in the fourth inning. UMass Lowell took a 3-2 lead in the fourth behind an RBI single from senior Frank Wayman (Horseheads, N.Y.) that scored Humphrey and sophomore Conor Kelly (Hopkinton, Mass.) coming in to score on a defensive error.
 
Geisler's base hit and stolen base in the bottom of the fifth put the freshman in scoring position before Humphrey came up big again. The sophomore singled to left to bring in Geisler and give UMass Lowell a two-run lead. Hofstra plated two in the sixth to even the score.
 
Freshman Michael Simes (Rutland, Mass.) came in for Williams in the eighth and retired the side in a scoreless frame. The River Hawks had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded and one out, but all three runners were left stranded.
 
Hofstra took advantage of the opportunity and a one-out double to center scored two, giving the visitors the late lead. A double steal tacked on another run as the Pride took a three-run edge into the bottom of the ninth. Humphrey came up with another RBI as senior Trey Brown (Rochester, N.Y.) came in to score to make it a 7-5 game. The River Hawks could find another run and fell in the series finale.
 
Next up, UMass Lowell will visit Northeastern on Tuesday, May 16 before a three-game series against Binghamton to close the regular season.