BRIGHTON, Mass. – Junior Carlos Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico) went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and two runs, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (14-25) fell in a hard-fought contest against the Boston College Eagles (21-20), 5-4, on Tuesday afternoon.
"Tough one today," said Head Coach Nick Barese. "I felt like the guys competed all the way until the end, but we had opportunities to win and couldn't capitalize. We need to turn the page because we have a big weekend coming up."
Sophomore River Hart (Nashua, N.H.) posted a two-run homer, while senior Jake Fitzgibbons (Franklin, Mass.) added one hit and two RBI.
Senior Andres Hulfachor (Nashua, N.H.) got the start on the bump, pitching 3.0 innings and allowing one earned run. Freshman Nolan Geisler (Bayonne, N.J.) went 2.1 innings with one strikeout and no earned runs, while freshman Jake LeFrancois (Worcester, Mass.) tossed 1.1 innings, adding two strikeouts without allowing a hit.
After a scoreless first inning both sides, the River Hawks' bats started to heat up in the second, as Martinez knocked a ground-rule double to lead off the inning. Next to the plate, Hart cracked the third pitch of the plate down the left field line and over the fence, giving the visitors an early 2-0 lead. The home team answered in the bottom of the third, using a double and a single to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The home team continued to battle in the fourth inning, scoring on a two-out RBI double to knot the score up at 2-2. The next inning, the Eagles capitalized on an opportunity to jump in front, scoring on a wild pitch to own a one-run lead, their first of the afternoon. Trying to even in the score, sophomore Scott Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) reached on an error in the top of the six before advancing moments later on a wild pitch. Although the hosts escaped the jam to head to the bottom half of the frame, the River Hawks stayed strong in the field, allowing only one hit in the half inning to keep the score at 3-2 through six.
Taking over in the eighth inning, LeFrancois was nails on the mound for the River Hawks, making quick work of the Eagles with a groundout and back-to-back strikeouts to send his squad to the plate with one last chance to tie the game. Although Boston College got two quick outs, the River Hawks refused to back down, as senior Brandon Fish (Londonderry, N.H.) worked the count to full before drawing ball four. With the tying run at first, Martinez added a single and Hart drew a walk to load the bases. Next up, with the game on the line, Fitzgibbons saw his chance to put his team on top, stroking a two-run single up the middle, giving his squad a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
In the home half of the ninth, the Eagles remained patient at the plate, drawing a one-out walk before adding a pair of singles to tie the ball game, 4-4. Two batters later, another single for the hosts scored the game-winning run, sealing the 5-4 final score.
Next up, the River Hawks will return home when they host the Binghamton Bearcats for a weekend series. Friday's series opener is set to begin at 6 p.m. at Edward A. LeLacheur Park.
