STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Redshirt sophomore Sean O'Leary (Foxboro, Mass.) went 2-for-4 at the plate with a home run, while also tallying two runs and an RBI in the game, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (16–26, 6–12 AE) fell in game two against Stony Brook (19–25), 8–4, at Joe Nathan Field on Sunday.
Junior Rowan Masse (Manchester, Conn.) knocked a double and added two runs in the contest, while senior Carlos Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico), junior Ryan Strand (Goffstown, N.H.) and senior Zachary Scott (Lunenburg, Mass.) each posted a hit and an RBI in the game. Senior Jacob Jette (Franklin, Mass.) began the game on the bump for UMass Lowell, pitching 3.0 innings with two strikeouts and one earned run in his outing. Out of the bullpen, sophomore Jake LeFrancois (Worcester, Mass.) went 1.0 inning without allowing a hit.
Sophomore Brayden Cali (Taunton, Mass.) led things off for UMass Lowell with a single, but Stony Brook stranded the sophomore to send the game to the bottom half of the inning. With the home team at the plate, Jette took the mound and worked through the frame, finishing with a swinging strikeout. Masse got the offense started with a two-out single in the second, before Strand sent the junior home on a base hit to center for an early 1–0 lead. The leadoff hitter for the Seawolves reached base in the bottom of the second, but Jette retired the next three, including fanning the last batter faced in the frame. In the third, O'Leary stepped to the plate, crushing the ball over the right field wall for a solo home run to push the River Hawks lead to 2–0. Despite Jette making a smart play at home to prevent a run in the home half of the third, Stony Brook answered moments later, drawing a walk with the bases loaded to pull within one, 2–1. Both sides went scoreless in the fourth, as LeFrancois entered at relief and made quick work of the opposition with three straight groundouts.
The River Hawks were searching for a spark on offense but were unable to capitalize in the fifth. Stony Brook found their opportunity to jump in front for the first time all game, tallying four runs on five hits in the home half of the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. With the River Hawks back up to bat, O'Leary tallied a single before advancing on a groundout, and then made his way home when Martinez stroked a base hit to center field, cutting the deficit to two. After replacing Foley, graduate student Frankie DeMaro (Newburgh, N.Y.) mounted a solid frame in the sixth, recording a punchout and producing a groundout to finish the inning.
Looking to mount a comeback with three innings to play, UMass Lowell began the seventh with Masse walking and senior Joseph DeLanzo (Nutley, N.J.) knocking a one-out single. Next in the order, Scott delivered a clutch base hit to left field, driving in Masse to make it a one-run game, 5–4. After Stony Brook escaped the jam, DeMaro kept the Seawolves off the board in the seventh, giving the River Hawks an opportunity to rally. However, the home team stayed sharp defensively to get three outs, before platting three runs in the bottom of the eighth, sealing the 8-4 decision.
The River Hawks look ahead to Wednesday, May 6, when they travel to Massachusetts for a midweek contest at Earl Lorden Field. The contest is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. in Amherst, Mass.
