UMBC Evens Series with 12-5 Win Over UMass Lowell

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Everything good about Friday afternoon’s win by the River Hawks was bad for them in game two of the series on Saturday afternoon. The pitching that was so good in game one was not so good in game two. Eleven of the twelve runs that UMBC (18-18, 8-6) scored on Saturday were earned. The River Hawks (18-22, 8-8) committed three errors, two of which led to the first run of the game by the Retrievers in the second inning.

However, the game really got away from the River Hawks in the fifth. UMBC sent 13 men to the plate and six of them scored. It turned a 5-1 UMass Lowell lead into a 6-5 UMBC advantage. The Retrievers would go on to win 12-5 and even the series at a game apiece.

The River Hawks jumped out to a good start against UMBC starter Eddie Sargent. A three-run bottom of the first was helped out by Sargent walking the first three batters he faced. Carlos Martinez drove home one with a sac fly to left. Then, Ryan Proto came through with a 2-run RBI single to center field that scored both Fritz Genther and Alex Luccini. Just like that it was 3-0 UMass Lowell.

UMass Lowell started Alfred Mucciarone on Saturday and he allowed a run in the second inning with the help of two errors by Genther and Luccini. It would be Luccini’s fielding error on a single to center by Danny Wyatt that would get UMBC on the board. The hit and subsequent error scored Matthew Best who had reached on a throwing error by Genther. 3-1 UMass Lowell.

The River Hawks would tack on single runs in both the third and fourth innings against the second pitcher used by UMBC, Nick Remy. Through four innings, the River Hawks had what looked like a comfortable lead of 5-1. But the game changed dramatically in the Retrievers’ top half of the fifth. As head coach Nick Barese of UMass Lowell said after the game “We did not pitch well and they hit the ball well.”

The fifth inning was an example of both. Thirteen men batted for UMBC against two UMass Lowell pitchers. Mucciarone (2-2) started the inning and could get only one out before he exited the game. His day ended with a line of 4.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, and 3 SO. His replacement, Cam Sime, finished the inning getting the last two outs. He allowed 2 hits and 1 ER. The Retrievers scored six times and had five hits. There was also a walk and a hit batsman. The game flipped in that inning as UMBC erased a 4-run deficit and turned it into a one-run lead at 6-5.

While the offense was doing its part, so was the UMBC pitching staff. Remy turned the game over to Logan Wiley who threw a scoreless fifth inning. Sam Downs took over from there and went the last four innings giving up four hits and zero runs to pick up save number 2 on the year. The benefit of the big fifth inning for UMBC was Remy who won his second game of the season. His line was 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, and 1 ER. He is now 2-2.

On Sunday afternoon, the two teams will play a noontime game to determine who wins the series. A series that each team wants with the postseason not too far away.