LJ Keevan goes six strong innings in River Hawks 13-1 win over UAlbany

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Head coach Ken Harring said it best after the game “All week we have played good baseball.” UMass Lowell (18-23, 8-11 in AE) started this week by playing and beating two good in-state rivals in Harvard on Tuesday and Boston College on Wednesday night. They returned to league play on Friday night at LeLacheur Park and kept on getting the job done. As the coach said, “LJ Keevan set the tone” and indeed he did. The freshman left-hander threw six shutout innings of one-hit baseball. His teammates gave him plenty of run support as the River Hawks took game one of this series 13-1 over UAlbany (18-18, 7-12 in AE).

Keevan (4-3) was in total control throughout. He allowed only two baserunners in those six innings. Brad Malm, with a one-out double to right-center field in the first and a leadoff walk to Jason Bottari in the sixth. He set down 10 straight hitters to get 11 outs from the end of the second through the fifth. Keevan effectively used his three-pitch mix on Friday to get hitters out. When his team gave him the lead, he did what starting pitchers are supposed to do. Get ahead of hitters and throw lots of strikes. Albany starter Ray Webber (3-6) was not as fortunate allowing five earned runs on nine hits in his five innings on the mound. Two frames would do him in, a two-run second followed by a three-run fifth, was all the River Hawks would need to win this one.

UMass Lowell’s offense was supplied up and down the lineup. Big nights were had by SS Fritz Genther (2-4, 4 RBI) who also started a nifty double play to end the second inning, and CF Gerry Siracusa (4-6, 2 RS, 2 RBI). On Siracusa, the coach said, “We go as he goes.” This week that path has been golden. The other point that the coach was asked about was his young players starting to mature. His response was, “No doubt our freshmen are starting to become sophomores.” Which for the River Hawks is critical, why? Because of the major role they have on this team. In Friday’s game alone, the River Hawks had four freshmen in the starting lineup, three position players, and their starting pitcher. The position players, Jacob Humphrey, Brandon Fish, and Alex Luccini went a combined 3-for-12, 5 RS, 5 RBI, 2 HBP, and 2 SB. Not a bad night for the youth of this team.

As for the game, UMass Lowell took care of it in the second inning. Robert Gallagher led it off with a double to right-center field. One out later, he scored on a base hit through the four-hole into right by Roddy Hernandez, a good piece of hitting. After Luccini grounded out to second to advance Hernandez, Humphrey delivered with a booming triple off the left-field wall that scored Hernandez from third and gave Lowell a 2-0 lead. Keevan and the bullpen duo of Brendan Williams and Zack Fortuna took care of protecting the lead. Lowell added on runs at the expense of Great Danes reliever Nicholas Jessen who in an inning and a third gave up eight runs on four hits, walked three, and hit five River Hawks batters. An outing I am sure Jessen would like to forget.

With the win, UMass Lowell has now won three in a row. They took sole possession of second place in Division A of America East by a game over the Great Danes. On Saturday, Hayden Duke, who threw three shutout innings against the BC Eagles on Wednesday night, will get the ball to start vs UAlbany.