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Needless to say, this was not the weekend the UMass Lowell River Hawks had in mind. The UAlbany Great Danes, according to UMass Lowell head coach Nick Barese, “outplayed, out hit, and outcoached us this weekend.” On Sunday at LeLacheur Park, UAlbany (16-27, 6-12) scored six runs in the first two innings of the ballgame to get a series sweep on the road, 7-2 over the River Hawks.
UML (17-29, 8-13) started with Kevin Zarnock (0-7), and after the game, his coach said, “He did not have it.” His troubles in the first inning came from back-to-back hits from Ryan Ferremi (2-for-4, 3 RS) and Cooper Loyal (2-for-4, 2 RS, 1 RBI). After a strikeout, Kyle McAllister hit a fly ball to left center field that River Hawks LF Ryan Strand dropped for an error and an unearned run. The second run came across on a sac-fly to right off the bat of Luke Filippi that scored Loyal to make it 2-0 Great Danes. They would tack on four more in the second, with three of them coming on a bases-clearing triple to right center by McAllisiter (2-for-5, 5 RBI). 6-0 UAlbany after two.
The Great Danes started Ethan Nardacci (1-2), and he allowed a run in the third on an RBI single to center by Alex Luccini that scored Strand with UML’s first run of the game. 6-1 after three. The River Hawks bullpen picked up Zarnock, who left after two with a line of 2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, and 2 SO. Jake LeFrancois and Miles Cota would go the final seven innings, giving up five hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, and three strikeouts. The pen gave the River Hawks a chance to come back, but the bats did not respond.
Narducci went five, allowing three hits, an earned run, two walks, and two strikeouts. LHP Thomas Quinn entered the game and pitched a scoreless sixth inning. He got touched up for a run in the seventh on a RBI single by Conor Kelly to right field that brought home Strand, who had a single to left to begin the inning. 7-2 UAlbany after seven innings. Tyler Kneller went the final two for the Great Danes and put up zeroes to give UAlbany a big series sweep over the River Hawks by a 7-2 score.
Coach Barese is at a loss as to why this season is getting away from his team. They are only a half-game ahead of UAlbany in the standings for the final spot in the America East Tournament. What could make it more difficult is that the Great Danes have six conference games left while UML has only three. Barese is going to use the next five non-league games to find out who is willing to play hard and try to finish the season the right way. Their fate is still in their own hands, but not by much. On Tuesday night, the UMass Minutemen come to LeLacheur Park for a 6 PM first pitch.
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