LOWELL, Mass. – Junior
Scott Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) knocked a triple with an RBI and a run, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (16–23, 6–12 AE) dropped the final game of the series against Bryant (22–18, 10–8 AE), 4–2, at Edward A. LeLacheur Park on Sunday afternoon.
Graduate student Nicholas Solorzano (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) added a hit and an RBI, while junior Rowan Masse (Manchester, Conn.) recorded a hit and a run in the contest. Sophomore Nolan Geisler (Bayonne, N.J.) made his second start on the mound this season, pitching 7.2 innings with five strikeouts, allowing only two runs. Out of the bullpen, sophomore Jake LeFrancois (Worcester, Mass.) tossed 1.1 innings.
After both sides retired the side to open the contest, Geisler took the mound in the second and worked through the inning fast, as the sophomore ended the frame on a strikeout swinging. Bryant recorded two outs right away in the next half-inning, but the River Hawks took advantage of two errors on the field, starting with a walk by Ryan Strand (Goffstown, N.H.) to load the bases. Although the Bulldogs got out of the inning, Geisler continued his strong start, leaving the visitors' side scoreless after the top of the third. With one out in the bottom of the third, Masse ripped a single, eventually moving on a wild pitch before stealing third. Next to the plate, Donahue sent the ball deep to the left field wall, driving in a run and giving himself plenty of time to make it to third for a triple. Solorzano followed and stroked a single up the middle, bringing home Donahue, and making it a two-run lead, 2–0, for UMass Lowell.
Looking to even the score, the Bulldogs retaliated quickly, as the visitors posted a two-run home run to even the score 2–2. In the fifth, Geisler remained on the bump and fronted another good defensive inning, striking out two batters faced in the frame, but the River Hawks were unable to capitalize at the plate in the bottom half. After the sixth inning went hitless for the two sides, Geisler progressed through his outing with another solid inning, adding a strikeout before bringing the home side back to the plate. Although senior Zachary Scott (Lunenburg, Mass.) knocked a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh, Bryant's defense held steady and escaped the inning.
In the eighth, the Bulldogs jumped in front for the first time on the afternoon, using an RBI double to take a 3-2 advantage before adding one more in the ninth to make it a 4-2 ballgame. UMass Lowell made one last push in its final at-bats, as Donahue reached on an error and moved to third on a passed ball, but Bryant shut the door to seal the 4–2 decision on Sunday.
The River Hawks return for a midweek contest on Tuesday, April 28, when they host Boston College at Edward A. LeLacheur Park. The game is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. in Lowell, Mass.
