Friday, March 30 at UMBC (DH, 1 p.m.)
Live Stats – Game 1 | Game 2

Saturday, March 31 at UMBC (DH, 11 a.m.)
Game 1 | Game 2
Twitter: @RiverHawkSB @RiverHawkNation

BALTIMORE, Md. – The UMass Lowell softball team (6-16) opens America East Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at UMBC (5-19) on March 30-31.

The River Hawks will first square off in a doubleheader against the Retrievers at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 30 before playing the series finale on Saturday, March 31 at 12 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
The River Hawks split a pair of doubleheaders in Connecticut with a 3-1 win in eight innings at Sacred Heart on March 24 and a 9-0 victory in five innings at Quinnipiac on March 25. Sophomore Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.) hit .500 (3-6) with three runs and two RBI in the two games at Sacred Heart, while freshman Sara Siteman (Hudson, N.H.) batted .750 (3-4) with two walks and three RBI at Quinnipiac. Freshman pitcher Lovina Capria (Deltona, Fla.) picked up both wins in the circle over the weekend with 13 strikeouts.

LEADING THE FLOCK
Through 22 games, Sara Siteman paces the River Hawks with a .362 batting average, a .574 slugging percentage and a .458 on-base percentage. She is also first on the team with 12 RBI and 10 walks. Sophomore Marianne Sparacia (Spring Hill, Fla.) and redshirt-sophomore Casey Harding (Cheshire, Conn.) have both added to the offense, batting .345 and .318, respectively. Harding totals a team-high three home runs, as well. Lovina Capria leads the pitching staff with a 6-3 record and a 2.70 ERA, while junior Kaysee Talcik (Shelton, Conn.) is first with 51 strikeouts.

SEEING DOUBLE
As a team, the River Hawks lead the America East with 29 doubles in 2018, including a season-high four in the win against Seton Hall on March 16. Sara Siteman, who also paces the league with seven two-baggers of her own, logged a personal-best two doubles against Seton Hall on March 16.

SHUT.IT.OUT.
Lovina Capria registered her first career shutout, hurling a one-hitter to seal a 6-0 victory against Holy Cross on March 17. In that contest, she fanned a season-high eight batters, as well. She then added a 9-0 shutout with just one hit at Quinnipiac on March 25.

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!
The River Hawks picked up a win in their first extra-innings game of 2018 against Saint Louis on Feb. 24. The squad also earned a 3-1 win in eight innings at Sacred Heart March 24. The team has a history of success in extras with a 2-0 record this season and an 8-4 record since 2016.

WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE
Although the River Hawks have 16 losses in 2018, many of them could have gone either way. Six of the team's losses have been decided by two runs or less.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
UAlbany currently leads the league with a 7-3 record. As a team, UMass Lowell is second in the conference with 60 walks. Individually, Casey Harding is second overall with 21 hits and three home runs. Lovina Capria is first in the America East with six wins and two shutouts.

WEEKLY AWARDS
Sara Siteman and Lovina Capria were tabbed with AE Weekly Award on March 27, as Siteman batted .833 (5-6) with a 1.500 slugging percentage to garner her third straight Rookie of the Week and Capria went 2-0 with her second shutout of the year to earn Pitcher of the Week honors. The River Hawks also swept the America East Weekly Awards on March 20, as Courtney Cashman was named Player of the Week, Siteman was named Rookie of the Week and Capria was tabbed Pitcher of the Week. Siteman was also named America East Rookie of the Week on March 13, having led the team with a .444 on-base percentage with two hits and two walks at the Mississippi State Tournament. Casey Harding received her first ever AE Player of the Week nod on Feb. 27 after boasting an impressive 1.221 OPS that included a .750 slugging percentage and a .471 on-base percentage at the LA Tech Invitational. Kaysee Talcik earned the first America East Pitcher of the Week award of the 2018 season for her performance in four appearances at the Pediatric Cancer Invitational from Feb. 16-18. She led the pitching staff with a 3.00 ERA in 14 innings, totaling 15 strikeouts.

NOTABLES
Sarah Ratcliffe drew a season-high four walks at Sacred Heart (3.24) … Courtney Cashman registered two doubles at Sacred Heart (3.24) … Sara Siteman logged three hits, three RBI and two doubles vs. Seton Hall (3.16) … freshman Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.) recorded three hits against South Dakota (2.25) … Casey Harding matched a career high with three RBI against Alcorn State (2.23) … Kaysee Talcik posted a season-best nine strikeouts against No. 10 Tennessee (2.16).