UMass Lowell wins on Senior Day, 5-2 over Maine

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The UMass Lowell River Hawks baseball team celebrated Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at LeLacheur Park. A class that head coach Ken Harring said, “Has built a legacy that will leave a lasting impression down the road.” He also praised their ability to “win some big games.” Saturday was no different. As the coach likes to say “his dudes were due.” They came through in a big way as they stopped Maine’s (24-15, 19-4 in AE) 14-game winning streak behind solid pitching from Joshua Becker (4-4) and big hits throughout the lineup. The River Hawks (20-25, 10-13 in AE) get the job done with a 5-2 win on Senior Day.

Becker was bumped up a day to get the start. His defense gave him support right off the bat. Maine’s leadoff hitter Jordan Schuefand hit a foul pop-up to the first base side. With a wind that would howl to the right all day, River Hawks catcher Ryan Proto ran over to his dugout, reached out, and made the catch as he stumbled into his team’s bench area. It was the kind of play that can set the tone for how the rest of the game would go. In the bottom of the first, UMass Lowell jumped on Black Bears starter Caleb Leys (3-2) when Jacob Humphrey (2-3, 2 RBI, 1 RS) singled to right to begin the game. He was sacrificed to second by Proto, then scored the game’s first run on a triple to the right-center field gap by Gerry Siracusa. First baseman Cedric Rose brought home Siracusa with a sac fly to right and Lowell had a quick 2-0 lead. Lowell added another run in the third on a run-scoring walk with the bases loaded to third baseman Brandon Fish to give the home team a 3-0 lead after three.

Maine got to Becker with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Quinn McDaniel took Becker off the scoreboard in left for his 6th home run of the season to make it a 3-1 game. The hit was the first one that Becker had allowed. In the fifth, back-to-back hits by Scout Knotts and Jeremiah Jenkins had a rally going for Maine. Catcher Ryan Turenne laid down a sac bunt to move them up a base. Connor Goodman (2-3, 1 RBI) scored Knotts with a base hit to center to make it a one-run game at 3-2 Lowell. The River Hawks gave Becker some insurance in the sixth facing Noah Lewis, who would take over for Leys after he went five (5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1 HBP). He got the first man he faced, then ran into trouble. Fish doubled to right, a ball that was lost in the wind by right fielder Schulefand. Roddy Hernandez then singled to center moving Fish to third. Hernandez then stole second base to put two men in scoring position. Lewis then loaded the bases by walking the number nine hitter Alex Luccini. The top of the Lowell order had a chance to come through and they did. Humphrey singled through the 5-6 hole into left to drive home both Fish and Hernandez to give the River Hawks a 5-2 lead after six.

Becker was tough in the middle innings. In the sixth, he allowed only a walk before retiring the Black Bears. In the seventh, he retired the first two hitters before giving up hits to the bottom of the Black Bears order. Goodman and Jake Marques both singled to left with the tying run on the top of Maine’s order had a chance. Becker got Schulefand to fly out to left to leave the runners stranded and end the inning. In the eighth, McDaniel (2-4, 1 RS, 1 RBI, HR) singled to left and that was all Maine could muster. Becker left after eight innings (7 H, 2ER, 2BB, 5SO), and threw 109 pitches with 73 for strikes. Ryan Towle got the call for the ninth and struck out the side with a walk added in. For Towle, it was his first save of the season. UMass Lowell got a much-needed win over Maine 5-2.

After that game, the coach said, “we now have a chance to win the series.” However, he has not decided who will start Sunday afternoon’s game. One thing is for sure, Harring will have plenty of arms available for it. The first pitch is set for 1 PM.