Palazzollo out-duels Weagle in top pitching matchup

LOWELL, Mass. (April 18, 2003) - University of Massachusetts Lowell, ranked first in this week's New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division II poll, edged No. 2-ranked Franklin Pierce, 5-2, in Northeast-10 Conference baseball action at LeLacheur Park this afternoon.

In a matchup between arguably the top two pitchers in the Northeast, UMass Lowell junior right-hander Steve Palazzollo out-dueled Franklin Pierce junior righty Matt Weagle (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) to lead the River Hawks to victory.

Palazzollo improved to 3-1 on the spring as he held the Ravens to two earned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks in seven innings of work. Sophomore Brad Laurin pitched a hitless eighth and senior David Ouellette (Maynard, Mass./Maynard) picked up his second save with a perfect ninth.

Weagle (4-1) had his program record streak of eight-straight winning decisions halted as he suffered his first loss of the season. He allowed five runs, just three earned, on eight hits with nine strikeouts and no walks in seven innings of work. The five runs were the most Weagle has allowed in his six appearances this season. Junior Greg Basile (Suffield, Conn./Suffield) tossed a perfect eighth in relief.

Senior catcher Allen Mottram led the River Hawks offense as he hit 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Junior Todd Cole finished 1-4 with two RBI, while senior Adam McCusker and freshman Bob Theriault each chipped in RBI singles.

The Ravens seven hits were scattered among seven different players. Senior Dan Close (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) had the lone extra base hit of the game with a double in four at bats. Freshman Elliott Shea (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant) finished 1-3 with an RBI and stolen base, while senior Paul McAuliffe (Foxboro, Mass./Foxboro) was 1-3 with a run scored. Junior Dante Blancarte (Amesbury, Mass./Amesbury) added an RBI single.

Both pitchers carried no-hitters into the fourth inning. Franklin Pierce struck first as Close led off the fourth with a double for the game's first hit. He reached third on a wild pitch, before scoring on an Elliott single to right.

UMass Lowell answered right away in the bottom of the frame. Mottram singled to right with one out for the River Hawks first hit of the afternoon, then senior Michael Regan followed with a flare single to center. The Ravens nearly ended the inning without yielding a run, but a double-play ball to short was dropped at second base to load the bases. Theriault followed with an RBI single, and Cole lined a two-run single to put the River Hawks up 3-1.

Franklin Pierce closed its deficit to one in the seventh when McAuliffe walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on an RBI single from Blancarte.

The River Hawks answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to increase their lead to three. McCusker singled through a drawn in left side of the Ravens infield for an RBI, before Mottram registered an RBI single through a drawn in right side to round out the scoring.

Franklin Pierce (12-9, 5-5 NE-10) returns to action tomorrow when it hosts Merrimack College for a doubleheader beginning at noon. UMass Lowell (14-7, 9-2 NE-10) visits Bryant College for a doubleheader tomorrow at noon. 

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