EASTON, Mass. — The UMass Lowell softball team (23-20) split a doubleheader at Stonehill on Wednesday afternoon, taking the opener, 7-2, before dropping game two, 6-4.
Sophomore Thyanais Santiago (Methuen, Mass.) led the River Hawks at the plate across the two games, going 4-for-6 with two runs scored, two RBI and a home run, while freshman Julia Rowley (Beacon Falls, Conn.) added four hits, three runs and two RBI on the day. Senior Katelyn Fitzgerald (Ambler, Pa.) totaled four RBI in the twin bill, and sophomore Kate Hardy (Alexandria, Va.) chipped in four hits and four RBI across the two contests. In the circle, junior Olivia DeCitise (Troy, N.Y.) earned the game one win with a complete-game effort, and senior Giana LaCedra (Tyngsborough, Mass.) struck out seven batters in 5.1 innings in the nightcap.
Game 1: UMass Lowell 7, Stonehill 2
Stonehill opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, but the River Hawks answered with two runs in the second to take the lead for good. Rowley doubled to put two in scoring position before Fitzgerald lined an RBI single down the left field line to even the score. Calkins then reached on a fielder's choice to bring Rowley home and make it 2-1.
Lowell added two more in the third. After sophomore Avery Spinello-Branch (Lorton, Va.) moved up to third, Santiago singled to left field to plate a run. Later in the frame, Rowley reached on a fielder's choice to score Santiago and stretch the advantage to 4-1.
The River Hawks created even more separation with a three-run fifth inning. Rowley singled through the left side to score Santiago, Fitzgerald followed with an RBI single up the middle, and Rowley later stole home to extend the lead to 7-1. Stonehill got one back on a solo home run in the sixth, but DeCitise closed out the complete-game victory from there.
DeCitise allowed just three hits and two runs while striking out seven in the opener. Santiago finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Rowley went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Fitzgerald also added a pair of hits and two RBI.
Game 2: UMass Lowell 4, Stonehill 6
The River Hawks struck first again in game two, plating a run in each of the first two innings to build an early 2-0 edge. In the first, Van Alstyne came around on Wade's RBI single through the right side. Rowley then doubled in the second and scored on an RBI single from Hardy.
Stonehill responded with three runs in the bottom of the third to take its first lead of the nightcap, capitalizing on a pair of walks and a Lowell error. The Skyhawks added three more in the fourth, using three hits and two River Hawk errors to stretch the margin to 6-2.
UMass Lowell answered in the sixth. Santiago led off the inning with a solo home run before Wade and Rowley each singled to keep the rally moving. Hardy then delivered again with an RBI single to right that scored Bergan Needles (Ashburn, Va.) and cut the deficit to 6-4. However, Stonehill kept the River Hawks off the board the rest of the way to salvage the split.
Wade and Hardy each finished with two hits in the second game, with Hardy driving in two runs. Santiago added her third home run of the season, while LaCedra recorded seven strikeouts before Van Alstyne worked the final 0.2 innings in relief.
