LOWELL, Mass. – Senior Zachary Scott (Lunenburg, Mass.) went 3-for-6 with his first collegiate home run and five RBI, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (20–28, 10-13 AE) split a doubleheader against Binghamton (27-20, 16-7 AE) at Edward A. LeLacheur Park on Friday.
The River Hawks faced an 8-4 setback in game one before retaliating with an 8-4 win in game two.
Senior Joseph DeLanzo (Nutley, N.J.) added to the offense, going 3-for-5 and adding the first home run of his River Hawk career, as well, while posting three RBI and a run. Graduate student Nicholas Solorzano (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs and an RBI. Starting on the mound in game one, graduate student Frankie DeMaro (Newburgh, N.Y.) pitched 5.0 innings with a strikeout. Out of the bullpen, junior Kevin Rourke (Londonderry, N.H.) went 1.0 inning, leaving the opposition scoreless in his outing. Beginning on the bump in game two, senior Brian Foley (Milton, Mass.) tossed 4.0 innings with six strikeouts. In relief, freshman Tyler Dunlea (Attleboro, Mass.) worked 3.0 strong innings, striking out five batters, while allowing no hits and just one run to earn his second win of the season. Freshman Colin Ducie (Plymouth, Mass.) threw 2.0 scoreless innings with a strikeout to pick up the first save of his collegiate career, as well.
In game one, the Bearcats capitalized on an error that sent a runner home for a 1–0 lead in the second inning. However, the River Hawks responded immediately in the bottom of the frame, placing two on base thanks to a leadoff double by senior Carlos Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico) and junior Rowan Masse (Manchester, Conn.) being hit by a pitch. Solorzano followed with a one-run single before Scott cracked a three-run homer over the right field wall to give the team its first lead of the game, 4–1. Both teams added a hit in the third, but their defenses worked through the inning to leave the score unchanged.
DeMaro stayed strong on the mound, forcing three straight groundouts in the fifth, but a sixth-inning rally pushed Binghamton in front for the first time all game, adding seven runs to take an 8–4 advantage. With one inning remaining, Rourke took over in the seventh and ended the top half with a double play. Down to their final outs, the River Hawks mounted a late push behind singles from sophomore Brayden Cali (Taunton, Mass.) and freshman Cal Chance (Wolcott, Conn.), but Binghamton held on to seal the 8–4 outcome in game one.
Heading into game two of the doubleheader, Foley got the start on the mound, shutting down the Bearcats in their first three at-bats, including a 1-2-3 third inning. In the home half of the third, junior Ryan Strand (Goffstown, N.H.) reached on a fielder's choice before redshirt sophomore Sean O'Leary (Foxboro, Mass.) knocked a two-out single. With two on base, Cali roped a RBI single to left field and Chance followed with a one-run single of his own to extend UMass Lowell's lead to 2–0.
Although Foley tossed two big strikeouts in the fourth, Binghamton was able to plate three runs to pull in fromt, 3–2. A pair of early singles from Masse and junior Scott Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) sparked the River Hawks offense in their next trip to the dish, and a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Scott capitalized, battling for a two-RBI single to put UMass Lowell back in front, 4–3. After entering in relief, Dunlea made quick work of the opposition and ended the top half of the fifth with a strikeout. UMass Lowell looked to build its advantage after Masse reached safely on a wild pitch and Donahue reached on an error. Up next, DeLanzo blasted the first pitch he saw over the right field wall for a three-run homer and a 7–3 lead through five.
Dunlea held the visitors scoreless in their next two chances. In the bottom of the seventh, a single by Solorzano and a base hit by Masse put a runner on third. Solorzano then dashed his way home, making it 8-3. Binghamton plated a run in the eighth to trim the lead to four, but the River Hawks ended the threat on a fly out. In the final frame, Ducie closed out the game with a fielder's choice and two fly outs for the 8–4 win in game two.
The River Hawks conclude the regular season Saturday, May 16, on Senior Day, hosting Binghamton in Lowell, Mass. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m, with the Senior Day ceremony beginning at 2:30 p.m. at Edward A. LeLacheur Park.
