WORCESTER, Mass. — The Holy Cross baseball team fell in its home opener on Wednesday, March 23, with a 17-3 setback against UMass Lowell at Fitton Field.

STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
Wang (2-for-4, home run, two runs scored)
Jones (2-for-5, run scored)
Scanlon (2-for-4)

UMass Lowell:
Siracusa (3-for-6, double, home run, three runs scored, four RBI)
Sullivan (4-for-4, 4-for-4, three runs scored, RBI)
Rose (2-for-4, home run, two runs scored, three RBI)

W: Holland (1-1)
L: Sutman (0-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• An RBI groundout gave UMass Lowell a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
• The Crusaders quickly evened things up after freshman third baseman Nick Wang hit his first collegiate home run in the bottom of the first.
• The River Hawks jumped out to a 7-1 lead by the fourth inning. Holy Cross did not score again until the fifth inning; freshman second baseman Brendan Jones reached with a one-out single and advanced to second after an error, and then advanced to third on a groundout. He later came around to score after stealing home, bringing Holy Cross within 7-2.
• UMass Lowell scored nine unanswered runs before the Crusaders got on the board again. Freshman center fielder Tyler Mudd was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, making it a 16-3 game in the bottom of the eighth.
• A sacrifice fly scored an additional run for UMass Lowell in the top of the ninth.

DUE UP:

• The Crusaders commence Patriot League play this weekend, beginning with a doubleheader at Navy on Saturday, April 2.
• First pitch in Annapolis, Md. is set for 1 p.m.