UMass Lowell wins a wild one,12-8 over Bryant University

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After the game, UMass Lowell head coach Ken Harring said, “A win is a win” The River Hawks (6-20, 1-6) who have struggled through the first 25 games of the season, showed some life on Friday afternoon at LeLacheur Park. The 12-8 victory over Bryant University (13-12, 4-3) was a bit of a mixed bag for the team. There was the good solid starting pitching from starter Joshua Becker (1-1), who went five allowing two hits, two earned runs, three walks, and six strikeouts. His coach liked the way he “commanded the strike zone.” At the plate, UMass Lowell received a productive day from SS Fritz Genther (4-4, two RS, RBI) as he got on base in all five plate appearances. They also got a big day from LF Alex Luccini (4-for-5, HR, two RS, five RBI). Then there was the not-so-good like middle relief that had some leakages to them that made what could have been a comfortable win a bit of a scary proposition late. Still, this team will accept their first league win and a two-game winning streak.

The only mistake Becker would make came in the second inning after his team staked him to a 1-0 lead. 3B John Hosmer hit a 2-run HR (7th of the year) to RF giving the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, 2B Roddy Hernandez tied the game at 2-2 with a sac fly to LF off of Bryant starter Chase Jeter (1-3). It would score Luccini who had reached on a one-out infield hit. Afterward, Harring said, “It was important to come right back and score.” UMass Lowell broke open the game with a five-run fourth that would chase Jeter (3.1 IP, seven hits, five earned runs, four walks, three strikeouts). Big hits for the River Hawks came from CF Gerry Siracusa’s double to right field with the bases loaded which scored all three baserunners. Lucinni also had the first of his big hits, a 2-run single to left that drove home two more runners. The River Hawks had a 7-2 lead after four innings.

UMass Lowell would bat around in the sixth against the Bryant bullpen and scored four more runs to take an 11-2 lead. An RBI single from catcher Ryan Proto got the inning started. Lucinni had another 2-run RBI single this time to center field and the fourth run of the inning was scored on a wild pitch. Bryant relief pitcher Austin Wainer (2.2 IP, six hits, six runs, 5 earned runs, three wild pitches) had a rough outing. After a scoreless six innings from River Hawks reliever Brendan Williams, the next three members of the pen struggled to get outs. Zach Fortuna, (two hits, three earned runs in two-thirds of an inning, 2 WP), Shane Bogli (1.1 IP, two hits and an earned run, 1 WP), and Brian Foley (a third of an inning, three hits, two earned runs,1 WP) unfortunately, made the game interesting down the stretch. After the game, Harring was not happy with their performance saying “We will need those guys.” Two of Bryant’s runs in the seventh came off of wild pitches and the other two runs came off the bats of CF Derrick Smith who homered to left, his fifth of the year. The blast came off of Bogli. Luccini got one of those runs back with a blast to right field off of Bryant reliever Liam LeVangie in the eighth. The HR was Alex’s second of the season. It gave the River Hawks a 12-6 lead heading to the ninth. However, Foley got into trouble in the ninth after one out. Three straight hits, a walk, and a wild pitch scored two runs and made it a ballgame again at 12-8 Lowell. It forced Harring to go back to his bullpen and call on freshman Michael Simes to stop the bleeding. Simes came through getting the next two hitters on a ground out to first base and a swinging strikeout to end the game and pick up his first collegiate save. The final score in this one was River Hawks 12 and the Bulldogs 8.

Luccini was asked after the game about the state of mind with this team. He said, “The team needs to loosen up on the field.” He liked the “clean baseball” they played on Friday as well as being at home after playing so many games on the road. Game two is set for Saturday at 1 PM with senior Matt Draper getting the start for UMass Lowell.