SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — The San Francisco Dons erupted for six runs in the sixth inning, capitalizing on shaky Massachusetts-Lowell defense to turn a tie game into a rout and secure an 8-2 victory on Monday at Dante Benedetti Diamond at Max Ulrich Field.

The win gave the Dons (8-7) a series split of the four-game set after the River Hawks (3-7) had taken the previous two contests. The game’s pivotal turn came in the bottom of the sixth, erasing a brief Massachusetts-Lowell lead and propelling San Francisco to its eighth win of the season.

The game was a pitchers’ duel through five innings, tied 2-2. Massachusetts-Lowell had scratched across single runs in the fourth and sixth innings, the latter coming on an RBI double by Cal Chance and a sacrifice fly from Sean O’Leary to take a 3-2 edge.

That lead was short-lived. San Francisco’s offense, held in check for much of the game by River Hawks starter Colin Ducie and reliever Jake Zawatsky, came alive against the Massachusetts-Lowell bullpen in the bottom half of the frame. Kevin Rourke, who relieved Zawatsky, failed to record an out. He allowed a single to Esquivel and a walk before Trevor Harmon delivered a tying RBI single.

Christopher Klueber entered with the bases loaded and one out but could not stem the tide. Zack Ramppen greeted him with a go-ahead RBI single. The inning then unraveled for the River Hawks due to defensive miscues. A costly fielding error by the shortstop on a ball hit by Jo Lewis allowed two more runs to score. Landry was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run, and Ja Lewis capped the outburst with a sacrifice fly. When the inning finally ended, six runs had crossed the plate on four hits, two hit batters, a walk and a critical error, turning a 3-2 deficit into an 8-2 San Francisco advantage.

The six-run inning was the decisive moment, rendering the rest of the game a formality. The Dons added an insurance run in the seventh on Ramppen’s second RBI double of the game, scoring Walsh, who had pinch-run for Harmon.

San Francisco starter Adrian Valdez earned the win, working six innings and allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits. The Dons’ bullpen combination of Kai Yovanovich and Nick Bacura was dominant over the final three innings, allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out four.

Ducie took a no-decision for Massachusetts-Lowell, yielding two runs, one earned, on three hits over four-plus innings. Rourke was charged with the loss after being responsible for four of the sixth-inning runs.

The Dons outhit the River Hawks 9-5. Ramppen led San Francisco’s offense, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Harmon also had two hits and an RBI. For Massachusetts-Lowell, Brayden Cali and Cal Chance each had two hits, with Chance driving in a run.

The victory moves San Francisco back above .500 on the season, while Massachusetts-Lowell continues to struggle, having lost seven of its first ten games.

The River Hawks continue their West Coast trip at Sacramento State on Tuesday. The Dons are next in action on Friday, beginning a three-game series at UC Riverside.