River Hawks Hang Tough in Doubleheader Setback at No. 5 North Carolina

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The UMass Lowell baseball team opened its second of two consecutive top-10 series with a pair of setbacks to No. 5 North Carolina on Saturday afternoon.

Michael Young (Chester, N.J.) drove in four runs for the River Hawks (0-10) and Mark Tumosa (Willington, Conn.) extended his reached-base streak to nine games. Joshua Becker (Burlington, Mass.) struck out a career-high eight in 4.2 innings of relief in the second game and scattered three hits.

“{Nick} Rand did a great job keeping us in game one,” commented Head Coach Ken Harring. “We just could not solve Dalatri, as he was very good today. Game two was a case of not getting the effort on the mound that we need to be competitive, but Joshua Becker was great out there in relief. We need to better at putting up zeros early and we will, but we also did a good job of coming back.”

Game 1
Nick Rand (Hyde Park, N.Y.) was able to keep the UNC (10-1) offense at bay, allowing two runs through the first five innings, but Gianluca Dalatri shutout the visitors in his 7.1 innings.

UMass Lowell could only record two baserunners, as Steven Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) and Tumosa recorded singles.

The Tar Heels opened the scoring with a solo shot in the second and added another on a bases-loaded walk in the fifth. A three-run sixth frame broke the game open for the hosts.

Game 2
North Carolina was able to plate all of its runs in the first four innings to earn the series victory in the nightcap.

UMass Lowell got on the board in the sixth with the first of Young’s RBI, by way of a walk with runners on every base. The River Hawks were able to load the bases once again in the seventh, setting up Andrew Roden’s (Sherill, N.Y.) first career RBI as he singled home Joey Castellanos (Nutley, N.J.).

Two batters later, Young emptied the bases with a double to trim the gap to 14-5, scoring the trio of Roden, Robert Gallagher (Mullica Hill, N.J.) and Tumosa. Ted Leathersich (Beverly, Mass.) followed suit with a two-bagger of his own to plate Young.

The Tar Heels had five players drive in two apiece and a pair scored three runs. Tyler Baum struck out nine in six innings of work.

“We have played the toughest schedule in the country,” continued Harring. “We will continue to stick together and it will pay off when it matters the most.”

The two sides wrap up the weather affected series with a 10 a.m. first pitch tomorrow.