SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Sophomore Sean O'Leary (Foxboro, Mass.) went 4-for-5 at the plate with seven RBI, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (3-5) fell to the USC Upstate Spartans (5-4), 24-12, on Saturday afternoon. 

"Defensively we played about as poorly as possible, and our pitching got uncompetitive in the later innings," stated Head Coach Nick Barese. "Fortunately we still swung the bat well, and we have an opportunity to win the series tomorrow. So, we will need to take care of the baseball."

O'Leary logged two home runs and three runs scored on the day. Sophomore Scott Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) recorded an RBI and three runs on four hits in the outing. Junior Zachary Scott (Lunenburg, Mass.) tallied two RBI and one run with two knocks. 

Redshirt-junior pitcher Brendan Holland (North Andover, Mass.) got the start this afternoon, throwing in 3.2 innings and tossing three strikeouts. Freshman Nolan Geisler (Bayonne, N.J.) pitched in one inning, grabbing two K's. Junior Michael Simes (Rutland, Mass.) entered for one inning, as well, fanning a batter of his own.  

The game began slowly for the River Hawks, earning just one hit, as the hosts jumped out to a 2-0 lead through two complete.

A RBI groundout and Scott advancing home on a passed ball helped the River Hawks tie the game at 2-2 in the third. The visitors then added four more runs in the same at-bat, as a two-out single to center field from Donahue and a three-run home run by O'Leary put the River Hawks on top, 6-2. However, the Spartans cut the deficit to just two in the bottom of the inning and use a seven-run rally in the fourth to regain the upper hand, 11-6. 

In the fifth, O'Leary drove a single through the right side to score Donahue. The Spartans were able to extend the difference to 14-7 in their next trip to the dish, but the River Hawks closed the inning on an impressive 361 double play. The hosts then stretch the lead in the sixth, 20-7.

In the top of the seventh, Scott smacked a double on a full count, grabbing two RBI to make it 20-9. O'Leary knocked in three more runs on another homer in the eighth, but the Spartans responded in the bottom of the inning to secure the 24-12 outcome. 

The River Hawks return for the final matchup with USC Upstate, tomorrow, March 2, at Cleveland S. Harley Park in Spartanburg, S.C for a 1 p.m. start.