ORONO, Maine – Junior Alfred Mucciarone (Franklin, Mass.) was in command from start to finish, recording a complete-game shutout, as the UMass Lowell baseball team (17–27, 7–12 AE) secured a 2–0 victory over Maine (17–28, 11–8 AE) in the series opener at Mahaney Diamond on Friday.
"Incredible performance by Mucciarone," said Head Coach Nick Barese. "We needed our ace to be our ace, and Mucciarone put us on his back. Good to take game one, looking to build on it tomorrow."
The right-hander's performance added up to a historic mark, as Mucciarone became the first River Hawk since 2023 to toss two complete games in a single season, matching former UMass Lowell right-handed pitcher, Joshua Becker. This was also the junior's second complete game against Maine this season.
Offensively, sophomore Brayden Cali (Taunton, Mass.) tallied two hits, while redshirt sophomore Sean O'Leary (Foxboro, Mass.) and junior Rowan Masse (Manchester, Conn.) each registered a hit and a run in the contest.
The game opened with strong defensive play by each side, as the game stood scoreless through the first two innings. In the third, junior Ryan Strand (Goffstown, N.H.) stepped up and knocked the River Hawks' first hit of the game, eventually stealing second. Despite allowing a runner on base, the Black Bears kept UMass Lowell from capitalizing, but Mucciarone responded well for his squad in the bottom half, retiring the next three batters in order to close the third. After Mucciarone navigated the fourth frame with a strikeout and a double play, Masse began the fifth with a single before advancing on a sacrifice bunt from graduate student Nicholas Solorzano (El Dorado Hills, Calif.). Following a stolen base by Masse, senior Joseph DeLanzo (Nutley, N.J.) lined out to left, plating Masseto put UMass Lowell in front, 1-0.
Mucciarone kept the opposition off the board once again through five innings of work, bringing the visitors' side back to the plate. Entering the sixth, a pair of one-out singles from O'Leary and Cali placed two on base for UMass Lowell. Up next, freshman Cal Chance (Wolcott, Conn.) put the ball in play to record an RBI groundout, as O'Leary tagged home and made it a two-run game, 2–0. Despite Maine hitting a one-out double in the bottom of the sixth, Mucciarone continued his dominant outing on the mound, collecting two straight groundouts to get out of the inning.
In the seventh, the River Hawks once again threatened, as Masse was hit by pitch and Solorzano singled to put runners on first and second. Next to the plate, DeLanzo stepped up and laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving each runner up a base. The Black Bears locked in, though, getting three outs to keep UMass Lowell from extending its lead. In the field, the River Hawks continued its excellent showing, turning two to finish out the seventh inning. Continuing to cruise, Mucciarone quickly tallied three outs in the eighth, and although Masse drew a walk to start the ninth, Maine earned one final opportunity at the plate after registering three outs. The Black Bears had two runners reach on a pair of singles in the bottom of the ninth, but Mucciarone shut down any further opportunities, getting three straight outs with a strikeout and two fly outs to secure a 2–0 victory in game one over Maine.
The River Hawks return Saturday, May 9, for game two of the series against Maine at Mahaney Diamond. The first pitch is set to begin at 3:00 p.m. in Orono, Maine.
