LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell baseball team (15–20, 6–9 America East) returns home to host Merrimack (15–21) in a midweek matchup on Wednesday before welcoming Bryant (19–18, 7–8 AE) for a conference series at Edward A. LeLacheur Park.
LAST TIME OUT
With the season pushing forward, the River Hawks split the week, finishing 2–2 overall. UMass Lowell now sits in sixth place in the America East with a 6–9 record.
The River Hawks opened the week last Tuesday with a commanding 20–10 run-rule win over Stonehill, ending the game in the eighth inning. UMass Lowell totaled 20 runs on 20 hits in the game, marking its highest-scoring performance since April 19, 2022, when the River Hawks erupted for 29 runs at Bryant. Redshirt-sophomore Sean O'Leary (Foxboro, Mass.) had an exceptional day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two homers and a double, while also recording four runs and four RBI, as freshman Cal Chance (Wolcott, Conn.) tied the UMass Lowell Division I single-game hits record for the second time this season, knocking five in his six plate appearances with four runs and four RBI in the contest. Senior Carlos Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico) was also great at the plate, hitting 3-for-6 with three RBI and a run, and also recorded a save in 1.0 inning of work. Starting on the mound, junior Evan Cornelius (Milford, Mass.) pitched 2.2 innings in the game, while freshman Tyler Dunlea (Attleboro, Mass.) earned the first victory of his collegiate career, going an inning and leaving the opposition hitless and scoreless.
UMass Lowell put up a strong fight against UMBC in the conference series, but ultimately fell 2–1. In the first game, the River Hawks faced a 13–0 setback against the Retrievers. Senior Zachary Scott (Lunenburg, Mass.) tallied two hits in the contest, as junior Alfred Mucciarone (Franklin, Mass.) got the start on the mound, and pitched 3.1 innings. Also out of the bullpen, freshman Christopher Klueber (Bourne, Mass.) tossed 2.0 innings with two strikeouts and zero earned runs allowed. With the series on the line, UMass Lowell evened the series in game two with a 9–7, 10-inning win over UMBC. Offensively for the River Hawks, Chance went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and a run, while senior Joseph DeLanzo (Nutley, N.J.) batted 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI in the contest. Taking the mound in relief, sophomore Nolan Geisler (Bayonne, N.J.) pitched 4.2 innings with two strikeouts, leaving the opposition scoreless in his outing. Also pitching in game two, senior Brian Foley (Milton, Mass.) went 4.0 innings with three strikeouts to collect his first win of the season, as freshman Josh Doney (Lynn, Mass.) registered a strikeout and earned the first save of his collegiate career.
The series finale was tightly contested, with both sides battling for the win, but UMass Lowell fell 12–11 against UMBC. O'Leary hit 2-for-3 with a home run, while also recording three RBI and two runs, as Chance went 3-for-5 with a double at the plate, and junior Rowan Masse (Manchester, Conn.) posted two hits with three runs scored and an RBI. Doney made the first start of his collegiate career on the bump, pitching 4.0 innings with a strikeout. From the bullpen, sophomore Jake LeFrancois (Worcester, Mass.) went 3.0 innings with two strikeouts.
LEADING THE FLOCK
Progressing through the conference season, O'Leary still ranks first on the team in batting average (.316), while also leading in on-base plus slugging percentage (.935), slugging percentage (.519), on-base percentage (.416), runs scored at 39 and home runs with six. O'Leary is also tied for first in triples with junior Ryan Strand (Goffstown, N.H.), graduate student Jorge Burgos (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), and Chance at one each. Chance leads the team overall in hits (47) and stolen bases (11). Masse still leads the team in walks (21), while Martinez ranks first on the team for runs batted in with 30, and has hit the most doubles on the team (12).
Mucciarone still leads the team in earned run average (4.83), and holds a team-low in WHIP at 1.49. Graduate student Will Melby Jr. (Munster, Ind.), Geisler, and LeFrancois are all tied for the most wins on the team with three. Martinez remains ranked first on the team for saves with four. Mucciarone has also pitched in the most innings (50.1) on the team, while Foley has tossed the most strikeouts on the team at 49.
A NEW UML DI PROGRAM CAREER DOUBLES LEADER
On Wednesday, March 25, Carlos Martinez stepped to the plate for his second at-bat against Northeastern and drove a double to right field. The double was his 44th as a River Hawk, making the outfielder UMass Lowell Baseball's Division I career leader in doubles.
COMPLETE GAME PERFORMANCE BY MUCCIARONE
On Friday, March 27, Alfred Mucciarone made his sixth start of the season and dominated the Maine Black Bears, throwing a complete game in a 10–1 UMass Lowell victory. The junior right-hander pitched all nine innings, striking out seven, allowing four hits, and giving up zero walks and no earned runs. The River Hawks' last complete game came on April 26, 2024, when Michael Simes threw all nine innings in a 2–0 win over UMBC.
HIGH-HIT GAMES THIS SEASON (10+ HITS)
Through 35 games this season, the River Hawks have tallied 10+ hits in 15 contests. UMass Lowell holds a 8–7 record in those games, with a season-high 21 hits coming in a non-conference matchup against San Francisco on Saturday, March 7.
MATCHUPS FEATURING 10+ STRIKEOUTS
Across 35 games this season, UMass Lowell has produced 10+ strikeouts in 10 outings, compiling a 5–5 record in those contests. UMass Lowell's highest single-game total during the 2026 season came on Saturday, February 14, when the team notched 12 strikeouts against Morehead State.
AE OVERALL PLAYER STATISTICAL RANKS
At this stage in conference play, O'Leary is sitting in second in the America East for runs scored at 39, as Masse is behind in fourth with 35 runs scored. Chance is currently ranked tied for third in the conference for hits with 47, as O'Leary is tied for sixth with 42 and Martinez sits in tenth with 40. Martinez is also ranked seventh in the America East for runs batted in with 30, and O'Leary sits behind in eighth at 28 RBI. Martinez is also ranked second in doubles with 12, as Chance is tied for eighth at nine doubles. O'Leary is also currently tied for sixth in home runs (6) in the conference. Masse ranks tied for ninth in the America East for walks with 21.
Mucciarone is sitting in ninth in the America East for earned run average at 4.83, and ranks fourth for innings pitched with 50.1. Foley continues to be ranked at the top of the conference in total strikeouts, tying for first with 49, as Mucciarone ranks eighth with 36. Melby Jr., LeFrancois, and Geisler are all tied for sixth in the conference for wins with three each. Martinez is currently tied for first in saves in the America East with four.
For overall team rankings in the conference, the River Hawks are ranked third for batting average (.280).
MATCHUP HISTORY
Merrimack holds an 11–10 advantage in the all-time series, having defeated UMass Lowell earlier this season on March 24, 2026, by an 11–4 outcome. In series play, the River Hawks are 6–5 when hosting and 5–5 in road games. The all-time series between UMass Lowell and Bryant sits even at 10–10. The River Hawks have been strong at home, posting a 6–2 record, and are 7–5 in conference matchups. Most recently, UMass Lowell defeated Bryant 4–3 on April 19, 2025.
