ORONO, Maine — Steve Passatempo belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning on Friday afternoon, lifting the University of Massachusetts Lowell to a 4-3 victory over the University of Maine in the first game of an America East doubleheader at Mahaney Diamond.
The River Hawks (12-10, 3-1 AE) completed the sweep with a 3-0 win in the second game, sending the Black Bears (6-15, 0-2 AE) to their ninth consecutive loss and their 11th defeat in the last 12 contests.
In the nightcap, Collin Duffley limited UMaine to three hits and struck out 10 while setting the tone for the River Hawks.
Duffley (4-1) did not walk a batter in outdueling UMaine’s Jonah Normandeau (0-3), who allowed only five hits and three runs in six innings. The right-hander from Cumberland struck out six and walked three.
Russ Olive slammed a two-run home run in the sixth inning to provide some insurance for UML.
The River Hawks jumped in front with a two-out rally in the first inning against Normandeau. Passatempo worked a walk, then raced to third on Austin Young’s single through the middle. He scored on a balk.
The Black Bears had threatened in the top of the first. Christopher Bec reached on a two-out infield single to shortstop and stole second, but was cut down at the plate trying to score on Schwanz’s hard single to center field.
In the first game, UMaine was unable to come up with clutch hits and left nine men on base. That included eight men in scoring position and leaving the bases loaded in the sixth and men at second and third in the first and eighth innings.
Oscar Marchena singled twice among six hits for UMass Lowell. He also scored two runs.
Andrew Ryan (3-2) held the Black Bears to seven hits and three runs through 5⅓ innings to pick up the win. He struck out six and walked one.
Kendall Pomeroy registered the final out of the sixth, preventing UMaine from scoring while leaving the bases loaded, then Nick Rand notched his fifth save by working 3⅓ innings of hitless, shutout relief with two strikeouts and three walks.
Tyler Schwanz sparked UMaine with two doubles and two RBIs and Danny Casals singled twice. Jon Bennett added a double.
Junior Justin Courtney of Bangor (2-3) allowed six hits and four runs over 5⅔ innings. He fanned seven, walked one and hit a batter.
Connor Johnson worked around three walks and hit batman to pitch 1⅔ scoreless innings and Eddie Emerson retired both men he faced.
UMass Lowell scored twice in the first inning against Courtney, who then strung together four scoreless innings.
The Black Bears got the runs back in the third inning when Schwanz battled Ryan during an 11-pitch at-bat and won the duel when he lashed a two-run double to the gap in left-center.
UMaine grabbed a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth on a Brandon Vicens sacrifice fly, but it did not last long.
Marchena led off the bottom of the inning with a double, then trotted home when Passatempo cranked his homer.