CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Junior
Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) threw a two-hit contest and freshman
Emily Baumes (Rexford, N.Y.) went 4-for-4 at the plate in game one, as UMass Lowell (3-11) grabbed a 10-0 victory in five innings versus Bucknell (6-9), before falling, 18-3, to Austin Peay State (19-3) during the Cathi Maynard Invitational at Cathi Maynard Park on Friday.
"Game one consisted of a great team win," said Head Coach Jen Starek. "The pitching was great, offense was sharp and consistent, and we executed on all levels."
Baumes was 5-for-7 on the day, while also picking up two RBI and two runs. Senior
Emily Tow (North Kingstown, R.I.) went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs. Sophomore
Elizabeth Neeld (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) grabbed the most RBI today with three. Sophomore
Isabel Quintanilla (Puyallup, Wash.) notched her first home run of the season, as well.
LaCedra faced 16 batters, striking out three throughout her five innings in the circle to earn the 10-0 shutout. Sophomore
Olivia DeCitise (Troy, N.Y.) saw 1.2 innings in game two to record four strikeouts. Senior
Jen Slanovec (Bethlehem, Pa.) pitched 2.1 innings in relief.
It was a big first inning for the River Hawks in game one versus Bucknell. Baumes singled to center and advanced on a well-executed sac bunt from freshman
Avery Spinello-Branch (Lorton, Va.) before scoring on a RBI single from DeCitise. Quintanilla followed with a two-run homer to left to stretch the lead to 3-0. Sophomore
Alaina Santoli (Lovettsville, Va.) and Baumes would wrap the inning up as they combined for three RBI both produced by singles to left to give UMass Lowell a 6-0 edge through one.
Neither team was able to score in the second inning, but UMass Lowell saw a great hit from Quintanilla, as she put a single into left center.
In the top of the third, Santoli would get the offense rolling with a single up the middle before scoring on a single to right center from Baumes. Later in the inning, Quintanilla was able to reach first on a dropped fly ball, which gave two River Hawks enough time to score, making it 9-0. LaCedra shut Bucknell down in the home half of the inning, as she faced just three batters.
Freshman
Thyanais Santiago (Methuen, Mass.) stepped up to the plate in the top of the fourth for the River Hawks, poking a single through the right side. Spinello-Branch then rounded out the inning for UMass Lowell, as she grounded out to second, but pushed in a run to increase the lead to 10-0. The Bison tried to get things started in the bottom of the fourth, putting together two hits, but Bucknell was not able to cross the plate.
It was a scoreless fifth inning, as the River Hawks earned the run-rule decision.
In game two, the Governors recorded nine runs generated by six hits to take a first-inning lead.
Tow fueled UMass Lowell's offense in the top of the second with a single to short, then advancing to second and third both on wild pitches. Neeld would then earn an RBI from a ground out to second, cutting Austin Peay State's lead to 9-1. The home half of the inning was filled with three hits, creating three runs to increase the Governors' lead to 12-1.
The River Hawks were unable to get on base in the top of the third, as the Governors continued their offense in the bottom of the inning to total five runs off five hits, now up 17-1.
UMass Lowell strung together baserunners in the fourth inning, as they earned three walks in a row. Neeld launched a double to center, sending in two River Hawk runs. Austin Peay State collected its final run of the contest in the bottom of the fourth pushing the score to 18-3.
The River Hawks battled in the top of the fifth with freshman
Grace Stepp (Richboro, Pa.) sending a hit to right, followed by a single to the pitcher from Baumes, but no runs were tallied, ending the contest in the Governors' favor, 18-3.
The River Hawks are back tomorrow, Saturday, March 8 for day two at the Cathi Maynard Invitational facing Austin Peay State at 4:30 p.m. followed by a 7 p.m. matchup with Appalachian State at Cathi Maynard Park.
