Box Score (PDF)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The UMass Lowell softball team (2-3) dropped a 5-3 decision against Providence (3-2) to wrap up the River City Leadoff in Jacksonville on Sunday.
 
Senior Sydney Barker (Upland, Calif.) went 2-for-4 with one RBI to pace the River Hawk offense. Five other team members logged one hit, including junior Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.), who also walked three times in the outing. Sophomore Lovina Capria (Deltona, Fla.) took the decision in the circle with two strikeouts.

"We learned a lot this weekend," said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. "We have to learn to not press and to trust ourselves at the plate, and then the outcome will be different."
 
The River Hawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first, loading the bases before redshirt-junior Casey Harding (Cheshire, Conn.) scored on a throwing error. Capria retired the first six Friars she faced, but Providence took the upper hand with three runs on four hits in the third.
 
UMass Lowell threatened in the bottom of the third, as Cashman doubled down the left field line and sophomore Sara Siteman (Hudson, N.H.) followed with a single through the left side to put runners on the corners, although the Friars were able to get out of the jam.
 
The next two innings saw just one base runner for either side, but back-to-back home runs in the top of the sixth extended Providence's margin to 5-1. Junior Melany Sheldon (Garbagnate, Milan, Italy) crossed the dish for UMass Lowell in the bottom of the sixth on an error by the PC pitcher and Barker knocked in Cashman in the seventh on a single up the middle, although the Friars would hold on for the 5-3 decision.
 
The River Hawks have next weekend off before heading the Charleston, S.C. for the Holy City Showdown on February 22-24.