ORONO, Maine — The UMass Lowell softball team (19-19, 9-5 AE) split a doubleheader at Maine on Saturday, earning a 2-1 win in game one before falling, 2-0, in the second contest.

Junior Olivia DeCitise (Troy, N.Y.) led the River Hawks in the circle on the day, tossing a complete game in the opener with one hit allowed and eight strikeouts. At the plate, sophomore Thyanais Santiago (Methuen, Mass.) recorded three hits across the doubleheader, while junior Elizabeth Neeld (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) delivered the go-ahead RBI double in game one. In game two, Lowell totaled seven hits, with Santiago pacing the lineup with two.

Game 1: UMass Lowell 2, Maine 1
The River Hawks broke through in the second inning, as freshman Julia Rowley (Beacon Falls, Conn.) doubled and later came around to score on an RBI play by junior Isabel Quintanilla (Puyallup, Wash.).

Maine answered in the bottom half of the inning to even the score at 1-1, and the game remained tied into the seventh.

With one out in the final frame, Santiago reached and moved into scoring position before Neeld drove a double down the right field line to plate the go-ahead run and give Lowell a 2-1 edge.

DeCitise took care of the rest, retiring the side in order in the seventh to secure the complete-game victory.

Game 2: UMass Lowell 0, Maine 2
The second game remained scoreless through three innings before Maine capitalized in the fourth, taking advantage of a defensive miscue before a two-run single gave the Black Bears a 2-0 lead.

Despite tallying seven hits, the River Hawks were unable to convert, leaving nine runners on base in the contest. Santiago led the way with two hits, while sophomore Emily Baumes (Rexford, N.Y.), Rowley, Quintanilla, freshman Caroline Calkins (Orting, Wash.) and sophomore Avery Spinello-Branch (Lorton, Va.) each added a hit.

Senior Giana LaCedra (Tyngsborough, Mass.) went the distance in the circle, allowing just four hits and two unearned runs while keeping Lowell within reach.

Up Next
The River Hawks and Black Bears will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday.