MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Alyssa Zinkiewicz went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and a run batted in to help lead UMass Lowell to a 6-2 victory over Bethune-Cookman in the nightcap game of the Charleston Challenge held at Patriots Point. The game was part of opening-day action for the Wildcats in the annual tournament hosted by the College of Charleston in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
UMass Lowell (1-0) opened the scoring in the third inning, using three runs to grab the lead just under midway through the contest.
UML catcher Emilia Davies plated shortstop Alisha Welch with a triple to right field, followed three batters later by right fielder Brianna Martin's two-run scoring double to left that brought around Abby Jamieson and Davies on the play.
UML extended the lead at 5-0 in the top-half of the fourth inning.
Centerfielder Ariana Darcy plated Madison Alcorn with a double to left center, eventually coming in to score herself off a RBI single to right field from designated player Alyssa Zinkiewicz.
Bethune-Cookman (0-2) broke through in the bottom-half of the frame when third baseman Kaitlin Alamprese plated shortstop Sophia Ortega to bring the score to within 5-1. Ortega led off the home-half of the inning for the Wildcats with a single through the left side.
The Maroon and Gold chipped into the scoring again in the sixth, using a second run of the game from Ortega off the bat of Nereyda Gutierrez, who laced a single passed the glove of Alcorn.
However, that is as close as the Cats would come, as UML added an insurance run in the seventh, with Davies leading off the inning with her first home run of the season in a shot to right field.
UML was led at the dish by Zinkiewicz with three hits, followed by Martin and Davies with two each. Both players posted a pair of RBI as well, with Davies' securing one via the solo home run.
B-CU used the bat of Ortega to lead the team offensively, as the Highland, California native tallied three hits in three trips, scoring a pair of runs and logging an assisted putout on defense. Gutierrez added two hits to round-out the Wildcats recording multi-hit performances.
The win went to Marielle Handley who logged her first decision of the season, tossing all seven innings and spreading out seven hits and two earned runs with a walk and three strikeouts. The loss went to Sabrina Anguiano, as she fell to 0-2 on the season, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and fanning two batters.
For the second time on the day, Bailey Conner saw action for the Wildcats out of the bullpen, tossing three complete frames with a single run allowed and spacing out three hits and striking out two.
The Wildcats continue action at the Charleston Challenge on Saturday, taking on Marshall in the day's opening game at 9 a.m.
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