River Hawks Stifle Bryant in 3-2 Victory

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LOWELL, Mass. – David Hoar III (Peabody, Mass.) struck out a career-high seven batters as the UMass Lowell baseball team picked up a 3-2 non-conference victory against Bryant on Tuesday afternoon.

Hoar earned his first win of the season, going 5.1 innings scattering three hits and one walk. He faced early trouble but was able to record three straight strikeouts with the bases loaded in the top of the first.

The River Hawks (16-33) extended their winning streak to four while Bryant (36-17), who entered the matchup ranked third in the nation with 446 runs scored, dropped to 21-9 on the road.

“Obviously a really good win against arguably the best program in New England,” commented Head Coach Ken Harring. “With the way the game started it could have easily went one way or the other, but David Hoar took it into his own hands to pick up those three strikeouts to end the threat. We got key hits, were aggressive on the bases, played really good defense and it was a nice win.”

Steven Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) broke the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the second with a single back up the middle to score Vinnie Martin (Lodi, N.J.), who stood at third following a stolen base and an error.

Bryant was held off the scoreboard until the fourth with a two-hit frame that knotted the score at 1-1. The tie did not last long as Ciaran Devenney (Manalapan, N.J.) put the hosts back on top with a double off the wall in center that scored Andrew Roden (Sherill, N.Y.) in the fifth.

Robert Gallagher (Mullica Hill, N.J.) provided the difference with his two-out single in the sixth, to extend the gap to 3-1. The freshman and Passatempo paced the hosts at the plate with two hits apiece.

After the Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to one run, Joshua Becker (Burlington, Mass.) came in to induce a double play ball and pitch a perfect ninth for his fifth save of the season.

The River Hawks host Siena tomorrow afternoon in their home and non-conference finale.