NEWS

LYNN-The Lowell All-Americans' (3-4) up and down season continued as they dropped a 3-2 decision to the North Shore Navigators (1-6) on Tuesday night. Lowell was unable to come up with a big hit in a key situation and they left nine runners on base during the game

The Navigators took the lead in the bottom of the second by playing a little small ball. After Ben Waldrip and Ryan Geffert led off the inning with back to back singles, Mason Heyne sacrificed them into scoring position Dario Pizzano then hit a fly ball deep enough to left field to allow Waldrip to score and the sacrifice fly put North Shore on top.

Sloppy pitching and defense allowed North Shore to tack on to their lead two innings later.  Lowell starter John Sheehan (William & Mary) walked two batters in the inning and it came back to haunt him. With two outs and the bases loaded it appeared that Sheehan was going to escape unscathed after he induced a groundball to short.  Maxx Tissenbaum (Stony Brook) ranged to his backhand, but the ball kicked off his glove and into foul territory, allowing two runners to score.

Sheehan pitched six innings for Lowell allowing six hits and three runs, with only one being earned. He struck out four batters but was dealt his second loss of the season.

Lowell had their chances early in the game offensively, as they had multiple base runners on in each of the first three innings. North Shore starter Nolan Corr was able to escape the damage each time and held the Navigators off the board before settling into a groove.  Corr ended up scattering six hits over six innings of work and did not allow a run to pick up the win.

Corr had a little help from his friends in the top of the sixth inning. After an error by Geffert put runners on the corners with two outs, Lowell left fielder Anthony Serino (UMass-Amherst) hit a slow rolling ground ball to third base. Anthony Melchionda made a beautiful charge at the ball and threw to first on the run to get Serino by half a step and leave two more Lowell runners stranded on base.

After North Shore removed Corr from the game, Lowell was able to get on the board against the North Shore bullpen. Pinch hitter Tim Rines (Southern New Hampshire) greeted Mark Williams rudely with a leadoff single in the top of the seventh. An error by Melchionda allowed Rines to get to third and Effrey Valdez (NYIT) hit a sacrifice fly to drive home Rines and cut the lead to two.

Lowell also got an additional run off of Hunter Gordon in the top of the eighth. Matt Gedman (UMass-Amherst) and Tim Quinn (Franklin Pierce) hit back to back singles to lead off the inning. The Navigators then traded a run for two outs as Matt Jacobs (UMass-Lowell) grounded into a double play but brought Gedman home from third.

In the ninth inning, Brandon Bargas retired the side in order for North Shore to pick up the save and ensure the Navigators' first win of the season.

Quinn was the offensive star for the All-Americans with three hits, including a double. Tissenbaum also had a multi hit game for Lowell. 

Lowell returns home for a three game homestand with a rematch against the Navigators at Alumni Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM.