LOWELL, Mass. – Senior Jen Slanovec (Bethlehem, Pa.) tossed a season-high seven innings and recorded her 100th career strikeout, while senior Emily Tow (North Kingstown, R.I.) notched her 100th career hit in a Senior Day doubleheader against UMBC (19-26, 13-7 AE) on Friday at River View Field.
 
The River Hawks (16-27, 6-13 AE) fell, 12-0, in the first contest before dropping a 9-2 decision in the second matchup.

"I think we just have to be better," said Head Coach Jen Starek. "We had some pretty good pitching today, but we didn't do anything at the plate. I wish we did better today for our seniors, but they've been outstanding for us for the last four years, so I'm glad we got to celebrate them."

Five different River Hawks tallied a hit on the day, led by Tow, who tagged a triple in game one. Freshman Avery Spinello-Branch (Lorton, Va.) earned her 19th stolen base of the season in game one, as well, setting a new DI single-season program record. In the circle, Slanovec and junior Giana LaCedra (Tyngsborough, Mass.) went the distance in game one and two, respectively, each striking out three batters.

The Retrievers got a fast start in game one on Broadway Street, taking a 2-0 advantage on a two-run home run over the right field wall to open the scoring. But Slanovec found her groove, recording two strikeouts in the frame to get out of the inning. Her second punchout was good for her 100th career strikeout as a River Hawk.
 
Slanovec then tossed a scoreless second inning, but a River Hawk miscue set the table for the visitors to plate another run and increase their lead to 3-0 in the third.
 
Freshman Kate Hardy (Alexandria, Va.) knocked UMass Lowell's first hit of the afternoon in the bottom half of the inning before advancing to second on a wild pitch and swiping third base, but UMass Lowell could not scratch a run across. Hardy, who stole her third bag of the season, is a perfect 3-for-3 in her attempts.
 
UMBC tacked on four runs in the ensuing pair of innings, taking a 7-0 edge after keeping the inning alive with a two-out triple in the fourth and extending its lead with a three-run fifth.
 
Tow was the next River Hawk to join the century club, pelting a triple off the left-center wall to notch her 100th career hit in the home half of the fifth.
 
Slanovec escaped a jam in the sixth, stranding two UMBC runners on base to bring the River Hawks back to the dish. Freshman Avery Spinello-Branch (Lorton, Va.) drew a two-out walk in the sixth before stealing her record-setting 19th stolen base of the season, but UMass Lowell could not capitalize with a runner in scoring position.
 
The Retrievers plated five runs in the seventh to clinch the first half of the doubleheader, 12-0.
 
UMBC kept its momentum going in game two, scoring a run off two hits in the first to take a 1-0 lead. Freshman Emily Baumes (Rexford, N.Y.) reached first on a hit by pitch to lead off the home half for UMass Lowell before Spinello-Branch's sacrifice bunt was good for a hit and moved Baumes to third. However, UMBC got out of the inning.
 
The visitors doubled their lead in the second on a solo home run to take a 2-0 lead, but junior Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) ended the scoring threat with two UMBC runners on base. The Retrievers looked like they were about to load the bases, but Hardy scooped up a bunt in front of the plate to throw the runner out at first for the final out of the inning and keep UMass Lowell within striking distance. Freshman Thyanais Santiago (Methuen, Mass.) singled in the inning to yield the River Hawks' first hit of the contest.
 
Still, UMBC slugged an RBI single in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead over the hosts. LaCedra bounced back in the fifth, retiring the side to send the River Hawks to the dish trailing by three runs in the home half, but the Retrievers returned the favor with a one-two-three inning of their own, ultimately cueing a four-run sixth inning to jump out to a 7-0 lead.
 
The River Hawks got on the board in the sixth, as sophomore Elizabeth Neeld (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) snuck a single up the middle to score Santiago. After Neeld advanced to third on a Hardy groundout, she raced home on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 7-2.
 
UMBC added two more runs on a two-run blast over the left-center field wall to earn the 9-2 victory despite a single by Baumes in the bottom of the seventh.
 
The series with UMBC concludes on Saturday, May 3, in the River Hawks' regular-season finale with first pitch on tap for 12 p.m. at River View Field.