River Hawks Take Series with Twin Bill Split at UMBC

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BALTIMORE, Md. — The UMass Lowell baseball team picked up its first series win of the season, but UMBC staved off the three-game sweep with a victory of the finale as the teams split their America East doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. The visitors took game one by a score of 8-2, and the hosts battled to an 8-5 victory in the nightcap.

Michael Young (Chester, N.J.) picked up five hits on the day for the River Hawks (4-17, 2-1), and combined for six RBI with Oscar Marchena (Miami, Fla.) with the pair driving in five to help Sal Fusco (Colonie, N.Y.) pick up his first career victory in game one.

“Our main focus for this year is to be able to do what we did today; to win conference series on the road,” noted Head Coach Ken Harring. “Sal Fusco battled to pick up his first collegiate victory and Michael Young had a career day at the plate in game one. Josh Becker continues to be dominant out of the pen, as well. We showed a ton of fight in game two to battle back from the late deficit, it just showed this team will battle no matter what.”

GAME 1
Young went 5-for-5 in the effort, including a solo home run to lead the visitors at the plate as they used a five-run fifth inning to break open a 2-2 deadlock.

Andrew Roden (Sherill, N.Y.) and Marchena combined to put UMass Lowell in front, 2-0 before Fusco took the mound on a RBI groundout and a run-scoring single.

After the Retrievers (6-11, 1-5) drew even in the second, the teams remained scoreless until the pivotal fifth frame. Ciaran Devenney (Manalapan, N.J.) led off the inning with a walk and came around to score on Young’s single to give the River Hawks the lead for good.

Cam Climo (Billerica, Mass.) singled home the senior to start a string of four consecutive base knocks, including a Vinnie Martin RBI double and a two-bagger from Marchena that scored a pair to cap the rally.

Young completed his career game with a solo shot in the ninth to complete the scoring. Fusco went five innings for the victory and scattered five hits.

GAME 2
Entering the sixth inning facing a 5-1 deficit, the River Hawks battled back to knot the score at 5-5, but UMBC salvaged a win in the series with three runs in the bottom of the frame.

Kyle Maurice (Exeter, N.H.) tied the game with his two-run double, following a pair of sacrifice flies from Marchena and Martin.

UMBC plated runs in the first and fourth innings to build a 5-0 lead before Joey Castellanos (Nutley, N.J.) broke up the shutout with a single that scored Robert Gallagher (Mullica Hill, N.J.).

The River Hawks are set to host Marist on March 27 at 3 p.m. before welcoming Hartford for a weekend series.