LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell baseball team (20-25, 10-13 AE) took down the Maine Black Bears (24-15, 19-4 AE) by a score of 5-2 on senior day at LeLacheur Park. The River Hawks have reached 20 wins in the 2022 campaign and evened the weekend series with Saturday's win.
 
Prior to the first pitch, the graduating seniors were honored with a commencement ceremony followed by a senior day celebration. Seniors Joshua Becker (Burlington, Mass.), Matt DeBenedetto (North Reading, Mass.), Matt Draper (Lowell, Mass.), Sal Fusco (Colonie, N.Y.) and Gerry Siracusa (Kinnelon, N.J.), as well as graduate student Ryan Towle (Westfield, Mass.) and junior Brian Gaughan (Walpole, Mass.) were honored in the pregame celebration for their commitment and dedication to River Hawk baseball.
 
"They have all left a lasting impression on the program. They've all come in and done everything we've asked of them and more," said head coach Ken Harring about the graduating class. "All of these guys are great students, they're good guys, and they're all involved in the community. They've left a great impression on our club and the community."
 
Freshmen Jacob Humphrey (Standish, ME.) and Brandon Fish (Londonderry, N.H.) led the team with two hits each. Humphrey added two RBIs and one run while Fish tallied one RBI and one run. Four other River Hawks recorded a hit in the win.
 
On the mound, Joshua Becker earned the started and threw 8.0 innings. The senior struck out five and allowed two earned runs for the win, improving to 4-4 on the year. Ryan Towle took over on the bump for the ninth inning and struck out three on 21 pitches to earn his first save of the season.
 
"Unbelievable catch from [Ryan] Proto in the first inning. Plays like that are why I say he's the best catcher in the region. That set the tone for the game," added Harring. "The guys did a really good job offensively, keeping the ball down and our pitching was great as well."
 
Junior Ryan Proto (Centerville, Mass.) made an incredible play for the first out of the game, tracking down a foul ball and catching the ball as he tumbled into the River Hawk dugout and setting the tone early on. Joshua Becker picked up a strikeout to end a 1-2-3 first inning. Jacob Humphrey hit a leadoff single on the first pitch he saw before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Gerry Siracusa's RBI triple to right center brought in Humphrey to give the River Hawks an early 1-0 lead. A sacrifice fly from junior Cedric Rose (Pittsfield, Mass.) scored Siracusa to double the hosts' advantage.
 
The defense looked sharp early on as Brandon Fish made a great grab and throw to first for the first out of top of the second inning. A 5-4-3 double play ended the inning with the River Hawks in front 2-0. Becker picked up his second strikeout of the afternoon in the scoreless third inning, retiring the side in order. The River Hawks added another run on a bases loaded walk to take a 3-0 lead through three. The Black Bears got on the board with a two-out solo shot to left field in the fourth inning, cutting the lead to 3-1.
 
In the fifth, Maine added another run to make it one-run game before Siracusa made two catches for the final outs of the inning. Becker then threw a scoreless sixth inning, keeping the River Hawks ahead 3-2. Brandon Fish doubled to right field before Roddy Hernandez (Jersey City, N.J.) singled to put runners on the corners. Hernandez then stole second before Alex Luccini (Hopedale, Mass.) was walked to load the bases. Jacob Humphrey singled to left to score two runs, stretching the lead to 5-2 through six.
 
Joshua Becker picked up another strikeout in a scoreless seventh inning, keeping UMass Lowell ahead by three runs. The River Hawks could not add to the lead in the bottom half of the inning and Becker returned to the mound for the eighth. The senior allowed one hit and tallied his fifth strikeout and his third straight scoreless inning.
 
Ryan Towle took over on the mound for the ninth inning with a. 5-2 lead. The graduate student struck out the first two batters he faced before allowing a walk. Towle struck out Marquez to win the game for UMass Lowell and tie the weekend series.
 
The River Hawks wrap up the weekend series with the Black Bears on Sunday, May 8. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at LeLacheur Park.