Simes Throws Complete Game Shutout in UMass Lowell’s 2-0 Win

Simes had to be good, after all, he was facing maybe the best starting pitcher in the league in junior RHP Luke Johnson (3-3). These two put on a pitching clinic that was a joy to watch, but probably no fun to bat against. Both pitchers threw strikes, got ahead of hitters, and allowed their defense to make plays when necessary. This is a big series for both teams and game one lived up to the importance.

The River Hawks struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Carlos Martinez led off the inning with a leadoff double to right field. It would be the only extra-base hit Johnson would give up in his outing. Martinez was advanced to third base on a ground ball out by Connor Kelly. With two down and a man in scoring position, up came Ryan Strand. The new member of the River Hawks everyday lineup has been making quite a name for himself over the last six starts he has made. However, he was 0-for-7 with two outs and 4-for-15 (.267) with runners in scoring position. Strand improved both stats with an RBI base hit to left field that scored Martinez with the game’s first run. For Strand, the RBI was his 11th in nine games played. 1-0 UMass Lowell. Strand was the only hitter on either team with a 2-hit game.

Meanwhile, Simes had it going as he retired the first 11 batters he faced before allowing a 2-out single to Matt Ryan in the fourth inning. The only trouble that Simes got into came in the seventh inning with the game still 1-0 River Hawks. Anthony Swenda led off the inning with a fly ball double to RF that River Hawks right fielder Martinez took a bad route on and could not make the play. The next hitter, Luke Trythall, hit a ground ball single through the right side of the infield into RF. Martinez put a good charge on the ball and with Swenda running all the way from second base, he made a perfect throw to UMass Lowell catcher Ryan Proto to nail Swenda at the plate and keep the one-run lead for the River Hawks.

That play would be big for the home team because, in the bottom of the seventh, UMass Lowell added to their lead. After getting the lead man in the seventh, Johnson hit the number nine hitter in the River Hawks order, Roddy Hernandez. One of three batters Johnson would hit in his outing. Johnson would get the next hitter, DH Trey Brown, to fly out to center field. UMBC head coach Liam Bowen went to the mound and took the baseball from Johnson (6.2 IP, 4H,2ER, 1BB, 2SO, 3HBP) and called on Sam Downs to face Fritz Genther. The River Hawks SS would win this battle as he hit a bullet off the left field wall for a triple that would score Hernandez and give UMass Lowell a 2-0 lead. The triple was Genther’s first of the year and the RBI was his 20th on the season.

Staked to a 2-0 lead, Simes finished the game in style. He retired the Retrievers in order over the final two innings with help from his infield defense. In the ninth, Matt Ryan led it off for UMBC and hit a grounder to the shortstop hole. Genther, going to his left, fielded the ball and made a perfect off-balance throw to 1st baseman Connor Kelly to get Ryan.. Yes, the River Hawks bullpen was busy just in case. But on this day they would not be needed.

Simes threw his first complete game and shutout for the River Hawks. His line was nine innings, five hits, zero runs, four strikeouts, and zero walks. He lowered his ERA to 4.63. His head coach Nick Barese called his performance “really good.” He got ahead of hitters. He pointed out “what a huge 2-out triple by Genther in the seventh.” Especially since his team was facing a “really good pitcher in Luke Johnson today.”

UMass Lowell will look to make it two in a row in this series when the two teams meet this afternoon.