River Hawks Win Third Straight With 12-5 Victory Over Merrimack

Read Time:2 Minute, 57 Second

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Freshman Ryan Strand (Goffstown, N.H.) went 3-5 with two homers, including a ninth inning grand slam, to lead the UMass Lowell baseball team (15-19, 6-5 AE) to a 12-5 win over the Merrimack Warriors (13-21, 9-9 NEC) on Tuesday afternoon.

“Another really good offensive effort. Ryan Strand has really taken advantage of his opportunity and he led the way today,” said head coach Nick Barese. Trey Brown and Ryan Proto were so solid for us today, too. And for Cam Sime to come in out of the bullpen and settle things down was great. He gave our offense a chance to separate.”

Junior Conor Kelly (Hopkinton, Mass.) and graduate student Ryan Proto (Centerville, Mass.) each tallied three hits and combined for four RBIs. Senior Fritz Genther (Kingston, N.Y.) and sophomore Carlos Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico) tallied two hits and two runs apiece in the win.

Freshman Cam Sime (Pittsfield, Mass.) went 5.0 innings with one strikeout to earn his first collegiate win. Sime allowed just one earned run and three hits and threw four consecutive scoreless innings. Graduate student Jack Sefrino (Dartmouth, Mass.) closed the game with one strikeout in the ninth while Brendan Holland (North Andover, Mass.) got the start and tallied one strikeout in 3.0 innings.

UMass Lowell’s offense got to work early with Fritz Genther and junior Alex Luccini (Hopedale, Mass.) tallying back-to-back hits to put two runners on in the first inning. Carlos Martinez and Ryan Proto followed with back-to-back RBI singles to put the River Hawks in front 2-0. Conor Kelly reached on a fielder’s choice as Martinez came across for the third run of a four-hit opening frame. The Warriors answered with three runs on four hits to tie the game.

Alex Luccini drew a walk and stole second before Ryan Proto’s two-out RBI single put the River Hawks back in front. A leadoff solo homer in the bottom of the third tied the game. Ryan Proto recorded his third hit in as many at bats with an RBI single in the top of the fifth, bringing in Genther to put the visitors back in front.

Trey Brown hit his second homer of the year in the top of the sixth, giving the River Hawks a two-run lead. Cam Sime threw three straight scoreless frames and got help from a defense that turned a double play and caught a runner stealing to keep UMass Lowell in front. The freshman ended his fourth scoreless inning with a strikeout, sending the game to the eighth.

A leadoff single from Conor Kelly set up Ryan Strand’s first career homer, a two-run shot that pushed the River Hawks’ lead to four. Merrimack tallied one in the bottom half of the eighth to cut the lead to 8-5 heading into the ninth.

The middle of the order continued to provide the offense for the River Hawks in the ninth inning. Martinez and Kelly tallied hits while Proto drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Ryan Strand hit his second homer of the day to clear the bases and stretch the River Hawks’ lead to seven runs. Jack Sefrino took over the ninth and struck out one in a 1-2-3 inning to seal the win.

Next up, the River Hawks visit Bryant for a weekend series. Game one is set for Friday, April 19 at 3:00 p.m. at Conaty Park.