River Hawks Split Hard-Fought Doubleheader at Maine

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River Hawks Split Hard-Fought Doubleheader at Maine

ORONO, Maine – In a day that saw 13 scoreless innings, the UMass Lowell softball team (12-18, 6-2 AE) battled to split a doubleheader at America East foe Maine on Wednesday.

The River Hawks fought to a 1-0, extra-innings victory in game one before allowing three runs in the sixth inning of game two to fall, 3-0.

“I thought the pitchers from both teams threw well in both games,” said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. “That’s why it was such a low scoring day. It was just a matter of who could make something happen first. We did it the first game and they did it in the second game.”

Junior Sydney Barker (Upland, Calif.) logged a pair of doubles with the team’s only RBI. Sophomores Courtney Cashman(Danvers, Mass.) and Marianne Sparacia (Spring Hill, Fla.) each added two hits, as well. Freshman Lovina Capria(Deltona, Fla.) picked up the win in game one, allowing just one hit with six strikeouts.

Game one was a defensive stalemate, as the teams combined for just three hits through four complete innings, including one apiece from redshirt-sophomore Casey Harding (Cheshire, Conn.) and Cashman. Barker drove a double to right center and advanced to third in the top of the fifth for the game’s first runner in scoring position, however, the River Hawks were unable to capitalize.

In the sixth, UMass Lowell used walks from freshmen Sara Siteman (Hudson, N.H.) and Sarah Ratcliffe (Pelham, N.H.), and a fielder’s choice by Harding to load the bases, although all three were stranded. The squad then put the pressure on once again in the seventh when senior Samantha McQueen (Ewing, N.J.), who used her speed to leg out a bunt single, hustled home to try and break open the scoring, but the throw would just beat her to the plate to keep the 0-0 stalemate intact.

Senior Vanessa Cooper (Pleasant Gap, Pa.) made a diving grab at first to end the home half of the inning and force extras. The difference maker came in the eighth for the River Hawks, as Siteman singled and pinch runner Frank advanced to third following a sacrifice bunt from Harding and a grounder by Ratcliffe. Barker stepped in next and lined her second two-bagger of the afternoon to plate what would be the lone run in the 1-0 victory.

The defense continued to dominate in game two with both teams going hitless through the first two innings. Cashman led off the fourth with a base hit to right and Cooper started the fifth with a single down the right-field line, but it was the Black Bears that pulled away in the sixth. In that at-bat, the home team loaded the bases before bringing in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly. Maine then recorded a pair of insurance runs on consecutive RBI singles to help secure the 3-0 decision.

The River Hawks will now host Army in a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 14 beginning at noon.