UMass Lowell River Hawks Cruise to 15-7 Win Over Central Michigan

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WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The UMass Lowell baseball team (3-6, 0-0 AE) cruised to a 15-7 win over the Central Michigan Chippewas (3-7, 0-0 MAC) on Sunday afternoon at the David L. Couch Ballpark.

“Another really good win. It was a hitter’s day with the wind howling today,” said head coach Ken Harring. “[Joshua] Becker had his best performance of the season, and our offense was very productive up and down the lineup.”

Senior Joshua Becker (Burlington, Mass.) picked up his first win of the season, striking out three in 5.0 innings. The senior allowed four runs and improved to 1-2 on the season. Senior Gerry Siracusa (Kinnelon, N.J.) went 3-6 with a home run and three RBIs. Junior Cedric Rose (Pittsfield, Mass.) had a strong day at the plate, going 3-5 with a double, a two-run home run, and two RBIs.

“Cedric [Rose] and Roddy [Hernandez] were fantastic for us as well. They both took full advantage of the opportunity to play today.

The River Hawk offense picked up where it left off on Saturday afternoon, as freshman Brandon Fish’s (Londonderry, N.H.) first-inning RBI double gave UMass Lowell the early lead. Sophomore Fritz Genther (Kingston, N.Y.) singled to right to bring Rose in for a 2-0 lead before senior Robert Gallagher (Mullica Hill, N.J.) singled up the middle to score two, giving the River Hawks a 4-0 advantage at the end of the second.

Becker earned his first strikeout of the day in the second inning to complete a 1-2-3 frame. The senior held the Chippewas off the board until the third inning. Rose’s two-run shot in the third put UMass Lowell up 6-0 before Central Michigan scored their first run in the bottom half of the inning.

The River Hawks offense continued to roll, pushing the lead to 9-1 in fourth. The Chippewas scored another in the bottom half to cut the advantage to seven. Genther then singled to left to open the fifth and was brought home to score after a single from sophomore Roddy Hernandez (Jersey City, N.J.) for a 10-2 lead. Colton Coca hit a two-run home run in the fifth to make it 10-4.

Junior Ryan Proto’s (Centerville, Mass.) solo shot in the sixth and Siracusa’s two-run homer in the eighth put the River Hawks ahead 13-5 late. Sophomore Zach Fortuna (Newburyport, Mass.) entered the game in the bottom of the sixth, striking out one and allowing one run. Fellow sophomore Michael Quigley (Halifax, Mass.) came in for Fortuna in the seventh to get out of the inning.

Senior Sal Fusco (Colonie, N.Y.) closed out the bottom of the eighth before Gallagher hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth, putting the River Hawks ahead 15-5. Senior Matt Draper (Lowell, Mass.) finished the game on the mound for UMass Lowell, securing a 15-7 win and a weekend sweep of Central Michigan.

The River Hawks have a quick turnaround and will travel to Durham, NC to take on the Duke Blue Devils on Tuesday, March 8, and Wednesday, March 9.