UMass Lowell sophomore Marielle Handley (Durham, Conn.) pitched a complete game two-hitter and shutout Hartford University, 7-0, in the season finale at River View Field in Lowell, Mass.  

The Hawks started the game off with a single to right, and that would be the last time a Hartford runner reached base until the sixth inning.  Handley and her defense retired the next 16 straight batters and 22 of the last 24. The right hander pitcher threw 66 pitches, 48 strikes, with one strikeout and improved to 8-17 on the season.

In its inaugural Division I season, UMass Lowell softball finished with a 13-16 overall record and 3-14 in the America East Conference, good for sixth place. Hartford's season comes to an end today, falling to 8-30 overall and 2-16 in conference action.

"It was a great way to end the season," said Head Coach Sean Cotter. "A lot to be proud of, one of our goals was to not finish in last place and we accomplished that today."

The River Hawks got on the board in the first when freshmen Emily O'Brien (Salem, N.H.) hit a dribbler back to second scoring sophomore Brianna Martin (Methuen, Mass.). Martin opened the inning knocking a single to right, advanced to third after junior Ariana Darcy (Walkill, N.Y.) crushed a double down the left field line.

UMass Lowell led 3-0 entering the bottom of the fifth, when senior Ali Ferraro (Kingston, N.Y.) had a last at-bat to remember.  Ferraro took a 1-1 pitch and smashed a two-run homer into the visiting bullpen in right field to grab a five run lead.

Cotter said, "For number seven (Ferraro) to hit a homerun at her last at bat and for us to win the game 7-0, I don't think we could have written a better script for today."

In the bottom of the six, UMass Lowell tacked on two more runs. Martin hit a RBI single back up the middle and junior Abby Jamieson (Billerica, Mass.) scored Martin on a single to short. The 7-0 win help capture their first America East conference series victory. The River Hawks finished the season strong winning four of their last five games.

Ali Ferraro finished her career in second in games played with 195, she tied for second with 61 walks, 11th with 14 homeruns, 12th in runs batted in with 82 and total bases with 211 and 13th with 88 runs scored. Ferraro was also one of the all-time great defenders as she finished with a .942 career fielding percentage at third.