The UMass-Lowell baseball team broke out to an early 4-0 lead by the second inning Sunday afternoon and later increased to a six run lead, before holding off the Maine Black Bears 9-8 in the rubber game of a three game America East series at LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Massachussetts.
Ben Pradas RBI single, and a two run homer by Russ Olive immediately broke the Riverhawks on top 3-0 in bottom of first. Danny Casals two run single, and an RBI groundout by Hernen Sardinas in the third cut the UML lead to 4-3. But a three run double by Prada, and an RBI double by Olive in bottom half of third made it 8-3. A bases loaded walk made it 9-3 UML in the fourth.
Maine got a run back in the fifth on an error making it 9-4, before Cody Pasic laced a two run double down right field line in the sixth to make it 9-6. Caleb Kerbs fielders choice RBI, and an RBI hit by Kevin Doody in the seventh cut it to just a one run game, but that is as close as Maine would get as Lowell took the series win. Lowell improves to 17-19 and 8-7 in America East.
Nick Silva (2-5) started and took the loss for Maine, allowing four runs, six hits in just 1.2 innings of work. The Bears used five pitchers on the day. Dan Cunico (3-1) got the win in relief for UML, allowing no runs and two hits over 2.0 innings. Luke Tomczyk got his second save, allowing just a hit in an inning of work. Prada and Olive accounted for five hits and seven RBI on the day for the winners. Pasic, Sardinas, and Kerbs all had two RBI each for Maine.
Maine is now 11-25 overall and 6-6 in America East play. The Bears will host a non conference game with Bowdoin Wednesday night.