ORONO, Maine – Graduate student Nicholas Solorzano (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) was clutch at the plate today, hitting two home runs and a double, while also registering five RBI and two runs in the contest, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (17–27, 7–12 AE) sparked a late rally in game three against Maine (17–29, 11–9 AE), securing a 5–4 victory over the Black Bears and the series sweep at Mahaney Diamond on Sunday.
"Fantastic end to a great weekend," said Head Coach Nick Barese. "Obviously Solorzano was the difference, and he had two huge at bats. He's been so consistent for us all year, and to do that down to his last strike in the ninth shows how mentally tough he is. Foley was awesome out of the bullpen and kept us in the game through the later innings."
Freshman Cal Chance (Wolcott, Conn.) also performed well, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored. Starting on the bump, sophomore Nolan Geisler (Bayonne, N.J.) pitched 5.2 innings with three strikeouts in his outing. Coming out of the bullpen, senior Brian Foley (Milton, Mass.) delivered a key performance, working 3.1 innings with three strikeouts, allowing just one hit, and keeping the opposition off the board to earn his second win of the season.
The opening inning saw both defenses work through a 1-2-3 inning, as Geisler began the game on the mound, picking up an early strikeout to shut the door on the first. The second inning went scoreless for either team, with Geisler retiring six straight batters to start the game. In the third, senior Zachary Scott (Lunenburg, Mass.) stepped in for his first at-bat and ripped a two-out double down the third-base line, but the Black Bears got the final out to end the inning. Geisler opened the home half of the third with a strikeout, followed by a groundout, and despite a runner reaching second, the River Hawks' defense ended the inning with an out on the next play.
UMass Lowell entered the fourth looking for its first scoring opportunity, as Chance ripped a base hit through the right side, before junior Rowan Masse (Manchester, Conn.) dropped a two-out single to right field. Solorzano didn't wait around, ripping the first pitch down the right-field line for a one-run double to provide the game's first run of the day. Although Geisler prevented Maine from getting on the board in the fourth, the Black Bears responded well and took advantage in the fifth, recording three runs to take a 3–1 lead. Maine kept the same rhythm on offense in the sixth, adding a solo home run to increase its lead, before Foley entered the game and closed the frame on a groundout. Trying to mount a late comeback, senior Carlos Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico) worked the count to draw a walk, setting up Solorzano, who followed with a one-out two-run homer to cut the deficit to 4–3.
After Foley breezed through the bottom of the seventh, including striking out one batter, the River Hawks returned in the eighth but couldn't find the game-tying run while at the plate. Foley continued his strong outing with a three-up, three-down inning, closing it out on a called third strike, setting up a thrilling final inning. In the ninth inning, Chance led off with a single before advancing to third after a passed ball and a groundout. With two outs, Solorzano stayed composed and unleashed a two-run homer over the right-field wall to give UMass Lowell a one-run lead, 5–4, in the ninth. Foley, looking to continue his dominant outing, took the mound for the final half-inning and quickly tallied two outs on a flyout and a strikeout before finishing it off with a groundout, completing a 5–4 comeback win over Maine and securing the series sweep in game three on Sunday.
The River Hawks return on Tuesday, May 12, when the team heads to No. 22 Boston College for the final matchup of the season at Harrington Athletics Village. The game is set to start at 4:00 p.m. in Brighton, Mass.
