SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Graduate student Jorge Burgos (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) posted two hits, including a double, with an RBI and a run, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (1-6) fell, 8-5, in a hard-fought contest against San Francisco (7-5) at Benedetti Diamond on Friday afternoon.
"Still working on how to close a game out and learn how to win," said Head Coach Nick Barese. "I was happy with how Mucciarone and our hitters competed all day."
Freshman Cal Chance (Wolcott, Conn.) also posted two hits, while recording two runs in the contest. Redshirt-sophomore Sean O'Leary (Foxboro, Mass.) knocked a triple with two RBI, as graduate student Nicholas Solorzano (El Dorado Hills, Cal.) registered two RBI, as well as a hit. Starting on the mound, sophomore Alfred Mucciarone (Franklin, Mass.) went 6.0 innings, tossing seven strikeouts with just two earned runs.
To begin the game, the defense on both sides retired the opposition, as Mucciarone collected an early strikeout to end the first. Senior Carlos Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico) led off with a bunt single in the top of the second and Solorzano forced a full count to walk, but the Dons were able to lock in defensively and keep the game scoreless.
Although San Francisco took the first lead of the contest in the third, 1-0, Mucciarone was unfazed on the mound, wrapping up the frame with a swinging strikeout. In the fourth, O'Leary searched for the right pitch at the plate before launching a triple off the center field wall, but the River Hawks were unable to capitalize with a runner on. Mucciarone remained on fire, tossing back-to-back strikeouts to end the fourth.
San Francisco slowly increased its lead, adding two runs in the bottom of the fifth, 3-0, but the River Hawks responded instantly. A single by Chance and Burgos kicked things off for the visitors in the sixth before Martinez drove home one run on a groundout. After junior Scott Donahue (Medford, Mass.) walked, Solorzano dug in with two outs and two strikes on the board, smacking a two-run single to left field to tie the game at 3-3.
Momentum grew for the River Hawks, with two more runners on base following singles in the seventh. Burgos wasted no time, sending senior Joseph DeLanzo (Nutley, N.J.) home on a double. Chance then crossed the plate after O'Leary recorded an RBI to increase the lead to 5-3. Although the River Hawks rallied late, San Francisco recorded four runs to regain the lead, 7-5, in the bottom of the seventh. Looking to jump back in front, the River Hawks gave one final push, but the Dons answered with one more run, sealing the 8-5 outcome on Friday.
The River Hawks are back tomorrow, Saturday, March 7, for the second game of the four-game series at San Francisco. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET at Benedetti Diamond.
