MICHELE SMITH SPRING BREAK TOURNAMENT - Video Preview
Friday, March 11
vs. IPFW (2:15 p.m.) | Live Stats
vs. Detroit (6:45 p.m.) | Live Stats
 
Saturday, March 12
vs. North Dakota (9:15 a.m.) | Live Stats
vs. USC Upstate (11:30 a.m.) | Live Stats
 
Sunday, March 13
vs. Butler (11:15 a.m.) | Live Stats
 
Twitter: @RiverHawkSB @RiverHawkNation Tweet #UnitedInBlue
 
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The UMass Lowell softball team (3-8) heads to Florida for its spring break trip where the squad will play 12 games in 10 days. The team kicks off the trip with five games at the Michele Smith Spring Break Tournament this weekend, March 11-13, at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater.
 
The River Hawks are slated to take on IPFW and Detroit on Friday, March 11 beginning at 2:15 and 6:45 p.m., respectively. The team also plays two games on Saturday, squaring off against North Dakota (9:15 a.m.) and USC Upstate (11:30 a.m.), before wrapping up the weekend with an 11:15 a.m. tilt against Butler on Sunday.
 
RIVER HAWK RECAP
UMass Lowell, who currently owns a 3-8 record in 2016, enjoyed an off week following its most recent tournament in Charleston, S.C. from February 26-28. The River Hawks turned in a 2-4 mark that weekend at the Wyndham Garden Cougar Classic, picking up decisions against South Carolina State (7-0 forfeit) and Campbell (4-3). In the victory against Campbell, sophomore Tori Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with her first home run of the season and a pair of runs scored. Junior Alisha Welch (Langley, British Columbia) also logged two hits in the outing with two RBI. Freshman pitcher Sydney Wash (Suffolk, Va.) earned the win in the circle with three strikeouts, while senior Marielle Handley (Durham, Conn.) was called out of the bullpen to secure the final two outs and register her first save of the year.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK
Through the first 11 games of the year, Tori Alcorn paces the River Hawks with 14 hits, six runs and a .452 batting average. Alisha Welch and freshman Brianna West (Fairfield, Conn.), who both started every game so far, have added to the offense with .379 and .333 averages, respectively. Welch also boasts a team-high five RBI. Senior Alyssa Zinkiewicz (Massapequa, N.Y.) is first on the team with two home runs, while sophomore Samantha McQueen (Ewing, N.J.) is leading the squad with three doubles, as well. In the circle, Sydney Wash leads the team's pitchers with a 1.50 ERA and a 1-1 record. Additionally, junior pitcher Lauren Ramirez (Dracut, Mass.) leads UMass Lowell with 12 strikeouts.
 
THE LAST TIME
UMass Lowell also played at the Michele Smith Tournament last season, going 1-4. In 2015, the team earned a hard-fought, 8-7 win against Army, but faced setbacks against Saint Joseph's (5-3), Colgate (11-7), Lehigh (6-5) and Northern Illinois (8-1).
 
AROUND THE LEAGUE
The River Hawks currently sit sixth in the America East standings. Binghamton leads the league with a 5-4 overall mark.
 
NOTABLES
Marielle Handley recorded just the third save of her career, and first of the season, in a 5-4 win against Campbell (2.28) … Tori Alcorn logged her first home run of the year against Campbell (2.28) … Alyssa Zinkiewicz has already tied her career high with a pair of home runs so far in 2016 … Kaysee Talcik pitched a one-hitter against Manhattan on Feb. 20 in her first career appearance as a River Hawk.