LOWELL, Mass. – Senior Alex Luccini (Hopedale, Mass.) recorded three hits with a double, two RBI, and two runs, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (12-21) fell to the UMBC Retrievers (13-15) in both games of the doubleheader on Friday afternoon.
"We didn't play well enough to win in any area," said Head Coach Nick Barese. "We are at the point in the season where we need to stop beating ourselves if we want to play meaningful games in May."
Senior Conor Kelly (Hopkinton, Mass.) went 3-for-6 at the plate, adding one run, while junior Carlos Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico) posted two hits with one double and an RBI.
Sophomore Alfred Mucciarone (Franklin, Mass.) started the first game for the River Hawks, going 6.0 innings while allowing only three hits and one run with nine strikeouts. Redshirt junior Brendan Holland (North Andover, Mass.) got the start in game two, going 4.1 innings and throwing three strikeouts. Freshman Jake LeFrancois (Worcester, Mass.) went 3.0 innings, recording three strikeouts during his appearance in the second game.
Mucciarone caught fire early, striking out the side while allowing only one walk in the top of the first. At the plate, the River Hawks were patient, drawing a pair of walks to get two on with two outs, but were unable to plate the first run of the afternoon. Looking to take the early lead, the Retrievers used a one-out single, followed by a walk, to get a runner in scoring position, but Mucciarone locked in, racking up two more strikeouts swinging to head to the home half of the frame.
The River Hawks saw their chance in the second, thanks to a leadoff single and a stolen base by Kelly. With two outs, Ryan Strand (Goffstown, N.H.) worked his way to a full count before stroking a single to right field, driving in Kelly for the early lead, 1-0. The opponents responded in the third though, using a sacrifice fly to right to drive in the game-tying run. The River Hawks were quick to answer, as Luccini reached on a walk and senior Brandon Fish (Londonderry, N.H.) ripped a single up the middle, before Martinez drew a walk to load the bases. Earning a RBI, sophomore Scott Donahue (Medfeild, Mass.) put the ball in play to get Luccini home, putting the hosts back in front, 2-1.
Mucciarone continued to deal in the fourth inning, striking out two of the three batters faced to get his team back on offense. Stepping to the plate with one out, Strand worked the count in his favor, drawing a walk on a full count. The sophomore then stole second before Luccini drove him home with a double down the right field line, extending the lead to 3-1. During the next at-bat, Luccini capitalized on an error by the catcher, rounding third and sprinting home to put his squad up three.
In the fifth and sixth inning, Mucciarone continued to dominate, allowing only one baserunner while collecting a pair of punchouts to total nine on the day. Meanwhile, in the home half of the frame, the River Hawks were able to get two runners on, but could not capitalize, sending the visitors to the plate. In the top of the seventh, the Retrievers began to heat up at the plate, as they used a pair of singles and walks to even the score, 4-4, sending the game to extras. In the eighth, UMBC added one to earn the victory in game one, 5-4.
In game two, Holland had a smooth start on the mound, inducing two groundouts before earning his first strikeout of the day to end the first. In the bottom of the inning, Donahue led off the River Hawks with a single through the left side, and although Luccini reached first on an error to put a runner in scoring position, the River Hawks weren't able to advance either runner, sending the game to the second inning scoreless. Holland once again went three up and three down in the top of the second, and despite a pair of singles for the hosts in the home half of the frame, the score remained the same entering the third.
Both sides continued to put up strong pitching performances, as neither team was able to plate a run through the first four innings. In the top of the fifth, though, the Retrievers' bats started to heat up, as they put together a five-hit, seven-run inning to take the lead. Looking to respond, UMass Lowell went to work in the bottom of the fifth, using a pair of singles to get two on before Luccini smacked a first-pitch single to right center, driving in the first run of the game for the River Hawks. Two batters later, Martinez added an RBI single of his own, cutting the deficit to 7-2.
After recording two singles in the sixth, the Retrievers used a double steal to add another run, extending the difference to 8-2. The next inning, LeFrancois took over on the mound, retiring the side with a flyout and two strikeouts looking. The freshman continued his strong performance in the eighth and ninth, collecting two more strikeouts to take back some momentum for his team, but they were unable to pull closer, sealing the 8-2 decision.
The River Hawks are back to work this Sunday, April 13, for the final meeting against UMBC. The first pitch is scheduled for a noon start time at Edward A. LeLacheur Park.
