LOWELL, Mass. – Senior Brandon Fish (Londonderry, N.H.) posted a double and one run, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (17-27, 8-11 AE) fell in game one of the series against the UAlbany Great Danes (14-27, 4-12 AE), 6-1, on Friday night.
"Credit to Dylan Banner," said Head Coach Nick Barese. "He was fantastic on the mound for Albany, and they did a really good job of timely hitting. We need to regroup and even the series tomorrow."
Sophomore Scott Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) recorded one hit and one RBI, with sophomore Rowan Masse (Manchester, Ct.) and junior Carlos Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico) each tallying one hit, as well.
The starting pitcher in the game was sophomore Alfred Mucciarone (Franklin, Mass.), throwing 7.0 innings with four strikeouts. Senior Andres Hulfachor (Nashua, N.H.) pitched 2.0 innings, adding two strikeouts with just one hit and no earned runs.
The Great Danes jumped out in front to begin the first, collecting three runs from an RBI triple and a single for a 3-0 lead. The River Hawks responded with a single from Martinez, but could not scratch any runs across.
After closing the top of the second on a groundout, the River Hawks began the home half with a leadoff double from Fish. Masse then moved him over on a single of his own before Donahue stroked a base hit to right field, giving Fish time to tag home to cut the margin to 3-1.
The third was quick for both sides, as Mucciarone added a strikeout swinging in the visitors half. Mucciarone would also strike out the lead-off hitter in the fourth before forcing a groundout directly after. Two batters hit by a pitch and a single loaded the bases, but Mucciarone escaped the jam, tossing his third strikeout of the game.
The River Hawks shut down the Great Danes in the top of the fifth with just four pitches from Mucciarone for two line-drive outs and a groundout. UMass Lowell then took advantage of a 4-6-3 double play in the sixth, setting the offense up for another trip to the dish when sophomore River Hart (Nashua, N.H.) drew a walk.
The visitors eventually responded with three runs in the seventh to make it a difference of 6-1.
Hulfachor entered in the eighth, hurling two strikeouts over the next two frames to give the River hawks one last look at a late-rally in the ninth. Martinez reached on a walk in the home half of the ninth, but the visitors held onto their lead, sealing the 6-1 final result on Friday night.
The River Hawks are back tomorrow, May 3, for game two against UAlbany in Lowell, Mass. The first pitch is set to start at 1 p.m. at Edward A. LeLacheur Park.
