After earning a place in last season’s America East Championship game, the first in program history, the UMass Lowell baseball team was determined to make another run at winning it all. 

The 2023 season began with a long, difficult stretch of 20 road games in a six-week span. The River Hawks visited #23 South Carolina, Florida Gulf Coast and James Madison in the opening three weekends of the new campaign. The team picked up the first win of the season with a 5-1 victory in game two at JMU before taking the series with a dominant 12-5 showing in the series finale to earn the first series win of the year. 

UMass Lowell fell in the next America East series at Maine, still searching for the first conference win of the season. That would come following a 6-1 win at Dartmouth as the River Hawks hosted new conference member Bryant at LeLacheur Park for a weekend series. 

A midweek comeback against local rival Merrimack and a 2-1 series win at UAlbany had the River Hawks on a hot streak, winning seven of eight games with the longest win streak of the season at six games. UMass Lowell also picked up a first win over Rhode Island since 2014 on April 19, a 12-6 victory in Kingston. 

After dropping a weekend series at UMBC and a midweek matchup with #11 Boston College, the River Hawks returned home to host the Maine Black Bears. The teams split the Friday doubleheader before the visitors took game three and the series. 

Four straight home wins, which included a weekend sweep of league foe NJIT and Kennedy Cup rival Massachusetts, put the River Hawks in good position as the regular season approached the final two weekends. 

Senior Day at LeLacheur Park saw the River Hawks honor the senior class and graduate students prior to first pitch. The student-athletes were celebrated on the field with friends and family before the game got underway. After an injury sidelined him for the last few weeks of the season, Gerry Siracusa started the game in center field before being subbed out in front of the River Hawk crowd one last time. 

With the emotions of the day behind them, the River Hawks built a commanding early 11-4 lead. The veteran Binghamton team did not go away quietly, battling back in what became a 14-13 thriller at LeLacheur. UMass Lowell secured the victory as Jacob Jette recorded his second save of the season, sending the River Hawks into the postseason on a high note. 

The River Hawks took on the No. 1 Maine Black Bears in the second game of the tournament, looking to advance to Friday with a win. Jacob Humphrey’s leadoff solo home run got UMass Lowell on the board early. Maine had an answer for the River Hawks’ offense in a back-and-forth game. The Black Bears came away with the victory, sending UMass Lowell to an evening game against No. 3 Binghamton with the season on the line. 

The game started with a bang as the River Hawks built a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The lead would grow to 5-2 through six innings with UMass Lowell in control. Binghamton’s offense exploded in the bottom of the seventh with eight runs to take a 10-5 lead. The River Hawks battled, but ultimately fell to the hosts, ending the 2023 campaign. 

Prior to the tournament, the America East Conference released the All-Conference awards for the 2023 season. Nine River Hawks earned honors, highlighted by Robert Gallagher being named the First Team third baseman.

Joshua Becker, Ryan Proto, Fritz Genther and Jacob Humphrey were all named the All-Conference Second Team while the trio of freshmen pitchers, Nick DiRito, Jacob Jette and Michael Simes earned All-Rookie honors. 

Gerry Siracusa and Joshua Becker were also named to the All-Academic team due to their tremendous efforts in the classroom. 

The River Hawks finished the season with a 20-35 overall record and an 11-13 mark in America East action.