Thursday, April 13
vs. Maine (DH, 2 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch Live
 
Saturday, April 15
at Binghamton (DH, 12 p.m.) - Live Stats | Watch Live
 
Saturday, April 16
at Binghamton (12 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch Live
 
Twitter: @RiverHawkSB @RiverHawkNation Tweet #UnitedInBlue

LOWELL, Mass. - The UMass Lowell softball team (12-15, 4-1 AE) is ready to square off against a pair of America East Conference opponents this week, as the squad closes out a seven-game homestand with a twin bill against Maine on Thursday, April 13 before traveling to Binghamton for a three-game weekend series on Saturday-Sunday, April 15-16.
 
RIVER HAWK REWIND
UMass Lowell owns a 12-15 overall record and a 4-1 mark in America East games after finishing 3-2 last week. The River Hawks first split a weekday doubleheader against Rhode Island on April 5 before taking two of three games from conference opponent UAlbany at home on April 8-9. The highlight of the week came on April 9 when the team earned an exciting, 9-8 victory in walk-off fashion against UAlbany for their first ever conference series win against the Great Danes.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK
Through 27 games this year, freshman Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.) has turned in an impressive .422 average on 38 hits. She also leads the team with nine doubles, a .644 slugging percentage and a .475 on-base percentage. Three other River Hawks are batting over .300 this season, as junior Madison Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) boasts a .356 average, and senior Tori Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) and freshman Marianne Sparacia (Spring Hill, Fla.) follow with .345 and .329 marks, respectively. T. Alcorn has notched a team-best 21 runs scored, while sophomore Sydney Barker (Upland, Calif.) is first on the squad with six home runs and 24 RBI. Sophomore pitcher Kaysee Talcik (Shelton, Conn.) paces the pitching staff with a 5-7 record and 3.76 ERA.
 
SCOUTING MAINE
Maine currently owns an 8-17 overall record in 2017, including a 3-0 mark in America East play, after sweeping a three-game series against Hartford last weekend. Rachel Carlson leads the Black Bears with a .354 average, while Alyssa Derrick is first on the squad with 17 RBI so far. Annie Kennedy is 3-3 in the circle this season with a team-best 4.94 ERA.  
 
SCOUTING BINGHAMTON
The Bearcats, who are 10-17 so far this year with a 2-0 record in America East games, will host UAlbany in a doubleheader before welcoming UMass Lowell to town over the weekend. Jessica Rutherford has paced the team at the plate with a .427 average and 21 runs scored. Kate Richard has added to the offense with 32 RBI. In the circle, Rayn Gibson boasts a 3.78 ERA with a 5-4 record.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Heading into Thursday, Maine leads the all-time series against UMass Lowell, 8-2, after sweeping a three-game series at their home field last season. Binghamton, who also earned a series sweep against the River Hawks in 2016, leads the all-time series 8-4.
 
SEVENTH HEAVEN
UMass Lowell's 9-8 walk-off against UAlbany on April 9 marked the fourth time this year that the River Hawks have been tied with their opponents heading into the seventh inning. The team has consistently thrived in these pressure situations in 2017, boasting a 4-0 record so far in games that were tied at the start of the seventh.
 
HOT START
The River Hawks' 4-1 record in America East Conference play is good for the program's best start to its league slate in the Division I era.
 
ZEROING IN
Kaysee Talcik turned in the most dominate performance of her career to date in game one of a doubleheader at Hartford on April 2. In that contest, the sophomore pitcher not only hurled her first career no-hitter, but also picked up her second complete-game shutout of the season. The no-hitter marked the first for the program since 2010.
 
EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!
The River Hawks have already played four extra innings games in 2017 and have won three of those contests. The squad first picked up an 8-6 victory at North Texas on Feb. 11 in eight innings before walking off in the eighth, 4-3, against Yale on Feb. 25, and downing Charleston, 4-3, in eight on March 12.
 
BOMBS AWAY
The River Hawks' bats came alive at the UNCW Tournament on March 17-19, with eight home runs in five games. With only 13 long balls all of last season, the team has already surpassed that mark, combining for 18 homers through just 27 games.
 
DOUBLING UP
The River Hawks, who logged a season-best four doubles in an extra-innings win at North Texas on Feb. 11, are currently ranked second in the conference with 36 doubles on the year.
 
WALK IT OUT
Redshirt-freshman Casey Harding (Cheshire, Conn.) has drawn 12 walks so far in 2017. That puts her tied for fourth in the America East rankings.
 
AROUND THE LEAGUE
UMass Lowell sits behind only Binghamton and Maine in the league rankings. As a team, the River Hawks are ranked second in the America East for several categories, including batting average (.289), slugging percentage (.428) and hits (213).
 
RECEIVING RECOGNITION
Courtney Cashman picked up her second America East Rookie of the Week nod this season on April 11 following an impressive, five-game week that included nine hits, six RBI a 1.000 slugging percentage. Cashman was previously named both AE Rookie of the Week and River Hawk of the Week on March 21 after batting .500 with eight runs and eight RBI in six games. Kaysee Talcik earned her second career America East Pitcher of the Week nod and her first of the new season on Feb. 28, following her complete-game win against North Dakota in which she recorded a personal-best eight strikeouts.
 
NOTABLES
Casey Harding posted a career-high three RBI against UAlbany (4.9) … Kaysee Talcik matched a personal best with eight strikeouts en route to her first career no-hitter at Hartford (4.2) …   Courtney Cashman set new season highs with five RBI and four hits, and tied a program record with two home runs against Georgetown (3.17) … Emily Stevenson registered her first career home run against Georgetown (3.17) … Alisha Welch logged a season-high three hits with two doubles against Chattanooga (3.11) … Marianne Sparacia tied a personal-best mark with three hits against both North Carolina (3.11) and Northern Kentucky (3.10) … Madison Alcorn set a new career high with three hits against Northern Kentucky (3.10) … Kaysee Talcik registered a career-high eight strikeouts against North Dakota (2.25) … Tori Alcorn totaled a personal-best four RBI in the win vs. UND … Lauren Ramirez forced a season-best six strikeouts at North Texas (2.11) and against Arkansas (2.12) … Casey Harding logged her first career home run at North Texas (2.11).