Five-Run Eighth Gives UMass Lowell Win and Series Over UMBC

For 6.2 innings things were not looking good for the home team. That’s because UMBC starting pitcher Jayden Shertel was making quick work of the UMass Lowell batting order. Only two men reached second base in his outing as he allowed five hits, all singles. In the end, his line of 6.2 IP, 5 H, zero runs, 2 BB, 3 SO would be good for a no-decision only. It would be that way because his bullpen failed to hold a 3-0 lead, that he handed them.

On the other side of the diamond, the River Hawks sent Miles Cota to the hill. Cota did not have his best stuff, however, he found a way to keep his team in the game. While he was not matching Shertel pitch for pitch, he did enough to give his team a chance in the end. The first bit of trouble Cota found was in the second inning. After retiring the first two hitters he faced, Cota gave up back-to-back singles to Luke Trythall and Matthew Best. Both runners moved up on a Cota wild pitch and then brought home on a 2-run RBI single to left by Derek Paris (2-for-4, 2 RBI). UMBC had a 2-0 lead.

In the third, they added another run on a lead-off HR to left by Justin Taylor, his fourth of the season. UMBC had a 3-0 advantage. The way Shertel was throwing, you thought three runs might be enough to win this game. Cota left after six innings and he allowed 7 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks, four strikeouts, and a hit batter. RHP Kevin Zarnoch came on and pitched a scoreless seventh. UMBC still had a 3-0 lead at this point. The River Hawks bats needed to come alive if this game would be added to their win column.

UMBC went to their pen and called on Sam Daniels. He got the final out of the seventh as he retired Roddy Hernandez swinging to end the seventh with runners on first and second. After the Barese talk before the bottom of the eighth, the River Hawks bats finally went to work. Trey Brown and Fritz Genther reached on back-to-back hits. Daniels was removed by UMBC head coach Liam Bowen, and LHP Ben Craig was brought on to face two left-handed hitters. Alex Luccini, with a nice piece of hitting, went through the 5-6 hole for a base hit to left field to load the bases. Carlos Martinez then ripped a single into right field off of Craig that scored both Brown and Genther. It was now a one-run game at 3-2. Ryan Proto hit a sac fly to right that plated the tying run in Luccini. After a walk to Connor Kelly, Craig was lifted in favor of another LHP, Joe Pucek. He got Ryan Strand to fly out to medium center field for the second out. Up stepped Brandon Fish who was 8-for-41, .195 BA with two outs. He delivered a two-run double to center field that sailed over the head of UMBC CF Justin Taylor. It scored Martinez and Kelly and gave the River Hawks a 5-3 lead.

Coach Barese went to his best arm in the pen, LHP Zack Fortuna. The coach calls him “the best pitcher in the conference” who came on to get the last two outs of the eighth. Now entrusted with the lead, he was asked to finish the game for UMass Lowell. After the game, Fortuna was asked what has made him so effective this year. His answer was “confidence.” Fortuna took care of the ninth allowing only an infield hit to the number nine hitter Kyle Eddington. UMass Lowell wins a big game and series 5-3 on Sunday afternoon.

Fortuna gets the win and is now 4-0 with an ERA of 0.44. After the game, he talked about “taking it one pitch at a time.” He has struggled during his time with the River Hawks but it is all coming together for him this season. He credited his four-seam fastball as being his out pitch this year. Ben Craig took the loss and he is now 1-3.

UMass Lowell has a mid-week game on Tuesday afternoon at Boston College.