River Hawks Set for Weekend Series at Hartford

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LOWELL, Mass. – After a big series win over the Maine Black Bears last weekend, the UMass Lowell River Hawks baseball team (21-25, 11-13 AE) is set to take on the Hartford Hawks (8-33, 7-17 AE) for another America East Conference matchup.

Series Info

Friday, May 13 at Hartford (3 p.m.)

Fiondella Field (West Hartford, Conn.)

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Probable Starters: Becker (RHP) vs. TBD

Saturday, May 14 at Hartford (1 p.m.)

Fiondella Field (West Hartford, Conn.)

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Probable Starters: Towle (RHP) vs. TBD

Sunday, May 15 at Hartford (12 p.m.)

Fiondella Field (West Hartford, Conn.)

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Probable Starters: TBD vs. TBD

SERIES HISTORY

First Meeting: April 1, 1976 (Hartford, 8-4)
Last Meeting: April 17, 2022 (Hartford, 13-12, 10 inns.)

UMass Lowell and Hartford met earlier this season for a three-game series at LeLacheur Park from April 15-17 in Lowell. The River Hawks took the first game 20-4 and the second game 7-6 in 10 innings. Hartford picked up a 13-12 win in extra innings in Sunday’s series finale.

SCOUTING THE HAWKS
Hartford welcomes the River Hawks after a series win over the UAlbany Great Danes last weekend. The Hawks dropped the opening game before claiming back-to-back victories to take the series 2-1. Derek Tenney leads the team with 52 hits and 30 extra-base hits, including 12 doubles and five home runs. Tremayne Cobb Jr. leads the Hawks with 13 doubles and 34 RBIs on the year on 46 hits. On the mound, Tim Blaisdell continues to have an impressive season, leading the team with 35 strikeouts on the year. He’s thrown a complete game this year and despite his record of 2-7, he is a force on the bump.

LOOKING AT UMASS LOWELL
The River Hawks head to Hartford after a big series win over the Maine Black Bears last weekend. After falling on Friday, UMass Lowell knocked off the visitors 5-2 on senior day before taking the series finale, 5-4 in extra innings, in walk-off fashion. The River Hawks have won four of their last six conference games and have won back-to-back series over UAlbany and Maine. This season, UMass Lowell has won five of eight conference series matchups. The team has reached the 20-win mark and boasts a 13-6 record at home.

HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE
The UMass Lowell offense is one of the best in the league, sitting tied for second in team batting average with Maine at .286 on the season. The River Hawks lead the conference with 331 runs, 459 hits, and 297 RBIs as a unit. Senior Gerry Siracusa (Kinnelon, N.J.) leads the team with 65 hits, 13 doubles, 53 RBIs, and 106 total bases with a .549 slugging percentage on the year. Siracusa sits sixth in the conference hitting .337 in 45 appearances this season. Fellow senior Robert Gallagher (Mullica Hill, N.J.) leads the conference in on-base percentage at .479 and has tallied 41 runs and 49 hits for the River Hawks in 43 appearances. Six other River Hawks have recorded over 20 hits this year.

ON THE MOUND
Graduate student Ryan Towle (Westfield, Mass.) leads the team with 70 strikeouts in the year with a 3-5 record and a 5.88 ERA. Senior Matt Draper (Lowell, Mass.) leads the pitching core with a 3.77 ERA and is tied for the team lead with two saves on the season. Senior Joshua Becker (Burlington, Mass.) has struck out 63 hitters and has a 4-4 record with a 5.15 ERA in 15 appearances. LJ Keevan has a 4-4 record with a 4.50 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 12 appearances on the mound.

PLAYING LIKE VETS
Freshmen Brandon Fish (Londonderry, N.H.) and Jacob Humphrey have been crucial to the River Hawks’ success this season, both offensively and defensively. In the field, the rookies boast fielding percentages of .924 and .950, respectively, and have combined for 120 putouts this season. At the plate, Humphrey leads the team with a .345 batting average as well as 46 runs and three triples. He is 41-42 on stolen base attempts, leading America East and sitting second in the country in the category, as well as becoming the program record holder for most stolen bases in a season. Brandon Fish is hitting .292 on the year and has tallied 54 hits and 46 RBIs. Fish earned America East Player and Rookie of the Week honors on May 9 for his stellar weekend against Maine. Freshman LJ Keevan (Holden, Mass.) has been a force on the mound all season. The rookie has a 4.50 ERA and a 4-4 record with 56 strikeouts in 12 starts. Keevan has wins over Central Michigan, College of Charleston, Hartford, and UAlbany.

STOLEN GOODS
As a unit, the River Hawks have stolen 117 bases on 143 attempts this season. The team is fourth in the country in the category and first in the league. Jacob Humphrey leads the team going 41-42, sitting second in the country and first in the conference in stolen bases. Humphrey holds the program record for stolen bases in a season. Robert Gallagher is 33-37 on the year and holds the sixth spot in the country and third in the conference. Base-running has been very important to the River Hawks’ offense this year with several players converting on stolen base attempts. Gerry Siracusa is 14-18 and Fritz Genther is 14-17 this season. Freshman Alex Luccini (Hopedale, Mass.) is also 6-8 on the year.

GOING YARD
UMass Lowell has hit a collective 38 home runs through 46 games in the 2022 campaign. Gerry Siracusa and Fritz Genther lead the way with eight homers each. Junior Cedric Rose (Pittsfield, Mass.) has hit seven over the fences while Robert Gallagher has five home runs. Brandon Fish and junior Ryan Proto (Centerville, Mass.) have hit four and three home runs, respectively.