LOWELL, Mass. – Senior Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.) and junior Emily Tow (North Kingston, R.I.) both grabbed a home run, as the UMass Lowell softball team (8-24, AE 3-9) dropped its doubleheader against Bryant (27-11, AE 11-3) on Saturday afternoon.
The River Hawks fell, 8-5, in game one before falling, 5-1, in game two.
"We're looking to get after it in the series finale tomorrow afternoon," commented Head Coach Jen Starek.
Tow totaled three hits on the afternoon with an RBI and a run, while Fisher collected two hits, two runs and three RBI. Junior Trinadey Santiago (Cheshire, Conn.) found the ball well, hitting 3-for-7 across both games. Senior Lea White (Meriden, Conn.), freshman Isabel Quintanilla (Puyallup, Wash.) and graduate student Brenna Davenport (Merrimack, N.H.) also contributed, each scoring a run, with Davenport adding a hit to her stat line.
Sophomore Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) took the circle for game one, pitching 2.1 innings before junior Jen Slanovec (Bethlehem, Pa.) and freshman Olivia DeCitise (Troy, N.Y.) came in for relief. Slanovec pitched 3.2 innings and collected two strikeouts, while DeCitise pitched an inning with one strikeout. Graduate student Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) started game two, going 6.0 innings pitched with four strikeouts before DeCitise came in for relief.
L. White grabbed a walk and her 10th stolen base of the season in UMass Lowell's first chance at the plate on the afternoon. Fisher also got on board and stole a base of her own before sophomore Katelyn Fitzgerald (Ambler, Pa.) put a ball in play that cleared the bases and gave the hosts an early, 2-0 lead.
Bryant responded quickly, though, as infielder Hannah Cochran opened the top of the second with a double down the right field line before scoring on a single up the middle by McKenzie McAloon to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The visitors continued to pressure the River Hawk defense in their next trip to the dish, as Cochran delivered a game-tying RBI single to left field, before Alexis Larrow sent a double to left center to take a 4-2 lead. Bryant then extended the buffer with a sacrifice bunt to make it 5-2 after the top of the third.
The River Hawks secured their own bases-loaded opportunity in the bottom half of the third with a pair of walks and a fielder's choice. However, Bryant pitcher Kylie Kenney held the River Hawks scoreless, extinguishing the threat with a groundout and pop-out to keep the three-run margin.
In the top of the fourth, the Bulldogs added their sixth run of the afternoon with an RBI single to left field before stretching the difference to 8-2 on a solo homer from Cochran and an RBI double from Gracie Bishop in the seventh.
The River Hawk lineup threatened in the bottom of the seventh, though, starting with Quintanilla earning a walk, followed by Fisher knocking a two-run home run to left field to cut the difference in half at 8-4. Tow responded with a solo home run of her own to make it 8-5. Up stepped Santiago, who lined a double down the left field line before senior Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) and Davenport earned walks to load the bases. However, the Bulldogs held on, recording a right-field flyout to take an 8-5 decision in game one.
Bryant loaded the bases to start game two and took a 1-0 lead after Meg Marcel reached on a fielder's choice. Cochran then grabbed an RBI single before Sam Rowher recorded a sacrifice fly to center field to make it 3-0.
In the top of the second, the Bulldogs added to their lead with a sacrifice fly to center field from Aleix Hudson to make it 4-0.
Bryant pitcher Grace McKillop held the River Hawk lineup hitless through the first three innings of the contest, while Ryley White collected three strikeouts of her own in that stretch.
The UMass Lowell offense found its rhythm in the bottom of the third, starting with singles from Davenport and freshman Alaina Santoli (Lovettsville, Va.). With runners on, Fisher lined a ball that deflected off the shortstop's glove, allowing Davenport to score from second and cut the deficit to 4-1.
Bryant reclaimed a four-run lead in the bottom of the fourth, though, as Alyssa Garabedian stole home after Fisher attempted to catch a runner stealing second to make it 5-1.
UMass Lowell continued to battle until the game's final inning, but was unable to level the score, as Bryant held on for a 5-1 decision in game two.
The River Hawks conclude the series with Bryant tomorrow, April 21, starting at 12 p.m.
