FARMVILLE, Va. – The UMass Lowell baseball team, striving to find its rhythm after a tough start to the season, faced off against the Longwood Lancers on March 12, 2025, but suffered another defeat, this time with a score of 9-2.
Junior Joseph DeLanzo from Nutley, N.J., shined at the plate for the River Hawks, going 2-for-3 during the contest. Despite DeLanzo's efforts, Head Coach Nick Barese emphasized the team's struggles with discipline on the mound. "We gave Longwood 13 free baserunners; that's never a recipe for success. If we want to turn things around, it starts with our pitchers being competitive in the strike zone," said Barese.
Other standout performances came from sophomore Scott Donahue, who contributed two hits, and senior Alex Luccini, who earned both an RBI and crossed home plate. Freshman Nolan Geisler, making his first start of the season, picked up one strikeout during his appearance.
Interestingly, junior Jacob Jette and graduate student Dylan Bedder added depth to the pitching squad. While Jette tossed 1.1 innings with one strikeout, Bedder struck out five batters across 1.2 innings of work. Graduate student Miles Cota also performed well, providing two innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts.
The game kicked off with the River Hawks gaining the upper hand early. After Luccini was walked, he took advantage when he advanced to second base on a balk. The first run for UMass Lowell came from sophomore Sean O'Leary, who managed to hit a two-out single, bringing Luccini home and establishing a short-lived 1-0 lead.
Longwood retaliated immediately. The home team managed to bring three runs to the board during the first inning, turning the tables to lead 3-1. A flawless 3-6-1 double play executed by the River Hawks pushed their defense momentarily back on track. Yet, it wasn’t enough as Longwood continued to show their offensive prowess, scoring another run in the second inning, making it 4-1.
UMass Lowell remained focused defensively, but the Lancers extended their lead with another two runs, bringing the score to 7-1 by the fifth inning. Key moments included Bedder, who showcased his skills by retiring the side with three quick strikeouts.
Looking to turn the tide, the River Hawks made some noise at the plate during the sixth inning. They had two singles which put runners on base but failed to capitalize on the scoring opportunity. Cota remained resilient on the mound, holding Eastern at bay with two more strikeouts.
Turning to the offensive side, River Hart saw himself on the bases after getting hit by a pitch. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, he was knocked home by Luccini, pulling the score to 7-2. Unfortunately, this was not enough, as the Lancers scored two additional runs during the eighth inning, sealing their 9-2 victory.
UMass Lowell looks to bounce back this weekend as they gear up for their conference play against UMBC from March 14-16, 2025, with the first game set for Friday at 3 p.m. at Alumni Field, Baltimore.
Meanwhile, over at Hartford, excitement was brewing as the Hawks claimed victory over the Eastern Connecticut State Warriors with a final score of 7-5, during their home opener also on March 12, 2025.
Junior Patrick Joseph led the charge early on with the first run of the game on a single, establishing the Hawks' 1-0 lead. They doubled their advantage thanks to junior John Russell, who capitalized on defensive errors, allowing graduate catcher Jake Santiago to cross home plate effectively.
Eastern Connecticut fought back, bringing the score to 2-2 by the fourth inning, but Hartford responded swiftly, racking up two more runs to reclaim the lead.
Kaplan was instrumental for the Hawks, digging deep with impactful hits, finishing the day with three hits and driving home his teammate during the fifth inning. Joshua Kaplan’s performance included key plays, demonstrating the team’s offensive capabilities and resilience.
Joseph continued to prove his worth by hitting well, going 2-for-4 and collecting two RBIs throughout the match. The squad maintained their rhythm with consecutive hits, as junior Jackson Ciccone's double sent Kaplan home, boosting the Hawks to a notable 7-3 lead by the sixth inning.
Despite Eastern Connecticut attempting to claw back with two runs, freshman Ryan Sheehy secured his first collegiate save, ensuring the Hawks clinched the victory at 7-5. The Hawks showcased remarkable pitching depth with eight different pitchers taking the mound and Anthony Bubba leading the way with clean innings.
This weekend, Hartford will be eager to continue their successful run as they face Clark University for a doubleheader on March 15, 2025, first pitch slated for 11:00 A.M. at Fiondella Field.
The excitement from both the UMass Lowell River Hawks and Hartford Hawks underlines the spirited atmosphere of collegiate baseball, promising more action-packed games to come as the season progresses.