Wednesday, April 4 at Bryant (4 p.m.)
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Saturday, April 7 vs. Hartford (DH, 1 p.m.)
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Sunday, April 8 vs. Hartford (12 p.m.)
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Twitter: @RiverHawkSB @RiverHawkNation Tweet #UnitedInBlue
 
LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell softball team (8-17, 2-1 AE) is set to play a mid-week matchup at Bryant (7-18) on Wednesday, April 4 at 4 p.m. before playing its home opener over the weekend, as the team hosts America East foe Hartford (6-14, 0-3 AE) in a three game series on April 7-8.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The River Hawks went 2-1 at UMBC on March 30-31 to open America East Conference play. Despite dropping a 6-1 decision in soggy conditions on Friday, the team bounced back on Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader against the Retrievers with a 4-2 win in eight innings and a 7-2 victory in the rubber match. Senior Samantha McQueen hit .375 (3-8) with two doubles and two RBI to lead the squad at the plate over the weekend. Freshman pitcher Lovina Capria (Deltona, Fla.) forced a season-high 10 strikeouts in the extra-innings win, while junior Kaysee Talcik (Shelton, Conn.) recorded her first victory of the season in the circle in game two of the twin bill.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK
Through 25 games, sophomore Marianne Sparacia paces the River Hawks with a .348 batting average and a .403 on-base percentage. Redshirt-sophomore Casey Harding (Cheshire, Conn.) has added to the offense, batting .312 with team-high marks of four home runs, 13 RBI and a .584 slugging percentage. Sophomore Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.) is first on the team with 12 runs scored, while freshman Sara Siteman (Hudson, N.H.) totals 11 walks. Lovina Capria leads the pitching staff with a 7-3 record and a 2.56 ERA. Kaysee Talcik is first with 57 strikeouts.
 
SEEING DOUBLE
As a team, the River Hawks lead the America East with 37 doubles in 2018. The squad has logged a season-high four two-baggers on four occasions, most recently in both ends of the doubleheader at UMBC on March 31. Individually, Courtney Cashman, Sara Siteman and Casey Harding are tied for first in the league with seven doubles each. Cashman posted a season-high, two at both Sacred Heart (3.24) and UMBC (3.31), while Siteman logged a personal-best two doubles against Seton Hall (3.16).
 
PLAYING THE LONG GAME
The River Hawks already have 11 home runs as a team in 2018. The team set a season high with two long balls in the 4-2 win at UMBC.
 
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 on March 24 and a 4-2 win in eight innings at UMBC on March 31. The team has a history of success in extras with a 23-0 record this season and a 9-4 record since 2016.
 
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Maine currently leads the America East with a 3-0 record in conference play. As a team, UMass Lowell is second in the league with 228 total bases and 64 walks. Individually, Casey Harding is second overall with 24 hits and four home runs. Lovina Capria is first in the America East with seven wins and two shutouts, while Kaysee Talcik is first with 57 strikeouts.
 
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 notched her first career home run to plate the game-winning run in a 4-2, extra-innings win at UMBC (3.31) … Lovina Capria fanned a season-high 10 batters at UMBC (3.31) … 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).