Box Score

Wilson, N. C. (Feb. 23, 2014) – UMass Lowell banged out 17 hits and pounded Temple University, 14-3, to win its Division I baseball debut, Sunday, at Fleming Stadium in sunny Wilson, N. C.

"Of course it was special," said Head Coach Ken Harring. "It was special for the program, it was special for the kids, it was special for coaches, it was special for the preparation, but it's just one of 54 games."

UMass Lowell is making the transition from Division II and the Northeast-10 Conference to Division I and the America East Conference. The River Hawks are 1-0. Temple's record falls to 1-1.

"It was nice to get the first win," said Harring. "It will only get more difficult from here."

Everybody in the starting lineup reached base and scored at least one run; six of the nine had multi-hit games.

"Everybody swung the bat well," said Harring. "I liked our approach at the plate, we didn't give away at bats, we hit well with two strikes, we hit well with two outs; we showed our lineup balance. All of that makes the game a little bit easier."

Juniors Danny Mendick (Rochester, N. Y.), Jimmy Ricoy (Lowell, Mass.) and Jacob O'Keefe (Wellington, Fla.) each had three hits. Juniors Geoff DeGroot (Wesley Chapel, Fla.), and Matthew Sanchez (Sunrise, Fla.) and freshman Ian Strom (Hopedale, Mass.) added two hits apiece.

The River Hawks broke a close open in the top of the fourth inning. Leading 4-2, UMass Lowell added a four spot; the big hit, a two-run single, came off the bat of freshman DH Tyler Noe (Lynnfield, Mass.) After that the game was no longer in doubt.

All the offense came in support of the strong right arm of River Hawk starting pitcher senior Shane Beauchemin (Manchester, N. H.) and three inning closer senior Mike Calzetta (Lawrence, Mass.)

Beauchemin, mixing his pitches well, struck out nine and walked just one in six workmanlike innings. He allowed six hits and three earned runs.

"He knows how to pitch and he knows how to make big pitches," said Harring. "He's a bulldog and he threw strikes. His slider had a lot of late life, late movement; he buckled some knees out there."

Calzetta closed it out striking out three and allowing two hits in three shutout innings of work.

"He was pumping hard and throwing strikes," said Harring.

UMass Lowell which had seen its first four scheduled games knocked out by winter storms will be back in action on Monday. The River Hawks face Rider University in a doubleheader starting at 10:00am.