COLCHESTER, VT (Apr. 7, 2008) – Senior LF Laurie Tanguay (Lowell, MA) batted 4 for 6 with four runs and four RBI as UMass Lowell and Saint Michael’s College split Tuesday in a Northeast-10 Conference softball twin bill at Doc Jacobs Field.

UML won the first game 10-0 in five innings while Saint Michael’s avenged the loss, 5-3, in the nightcap.

With the split, the River Hawks stand at 10-10 overall and 6-3 in the NE-10 entering Wednesday’s home clash against Saint Anselm (3:00). The Purple Knights are currently 7-8 overall and 1-5 in the Conference.

In the opener, Tanguay batted 3 for 3 with four RBI and three runs as the River Hawks erupted for six runs over three innings and added four more in the fifth for the win. Senior C Julie Brodie (Chelmsford, MA) and junior CF Stacey Lajoie (Gardner, MA) each batted 2 for 3 with two runs and one RBI while freshman DH Hilary Hopkins (Hardwick, MA) went 2 for 3 with one run and one RBI.

Sophomore P Lindsay Farmer (Kingston, NH) earned her fourth win in her last five outings and third shutout of the season. Farmer allowed four hits and one walk while striking out one in five innings to improve to 5-4. Farmer also batted 1 for 2 and ignited UML’s fifth-inning rally with a two-run single.

Sophomore P Kelly Egan took the loss as she scattered seven hits, six runs (all earned) and no walks to slip to 1-3. Four players had one hit for the Purple Knights.

Tanguay sparked the first inning rally with a two-run home run, her third of the season. She then drove in two more runs with a double in the third while Lajoie and Hopkins followed with RBI doubles to give UML a 6-0 cushion.

In the nightcap, Saint Michael’s broke a 2-2 tie with three runs in the fourth inning, led by RBI singles from sophomore CF Katelyn Billings and sophomore C Heather French, as well as an RBI double by junior P Megan O’Connor.

UML opened the scoring in the first inning behind an RBI double by senior 1B Jachael Guanci (Everett, MA) and an RBI single by Lajoie. The Purple Knights drew even in the bottom half of the inning as O’Connor and French countered with consecutive RBI singles.

Sophomore 3B Heather Ross (Waltham, MA) led the UML bats, hitting 2 for 3. Freshman P Nicole Monroe (Townsend, MA) took the loss as she replaced sophomore P Katie Hebert (Lowell, MA) in the fourth inning, allowing three hits and three earned runs while slipping to 2-1. Hebert scattered four hits, two runs (earned) and two walks while striking out three.

O’Connor earned the win for the Purple Knights, allowing seven hits, three runs (earned) and no walks while striking out four. She also led the offense, hitting 3 for 4 with two RBI and a run while French batted 2 for 3 with two RBI.