CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Junior Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.) batted .750 and slugged 1.250 in a 1-1 day for the UMass Lowell softball team (6-9) to close out the Governors Classic hosted by Austin Peay.
 
The River Hawks had a tough, 6-5 loss against Bradley to begin the day, marking their fourth one-run setback of the season. The team quickly bounced back with an offensive outburst in the afternoon, defeating Austin Peay, 15-5, in five innings.
 
"We closed the tournament with a great game," said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. "We had some good at-bats all weekend and it was a good way to end the tournament. We are looking forward to carrying this momentum into this upcoming week."
 
Labbe totaled three hits on the day with two doubles and three RBI. Senior Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.) led the offense with five hits (.556), while junior Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) matched a career high with six RBI against Austin Peay. Senior Lovina Capria (Deltona, Fla.) set a new season high with eight strikeouts in game one, and freshman Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) picked up her second win of the weekend in the circle against the Governors.
 
UMass Lowell's bats came alive early in game two against Austin Peay, as the team jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second with the help of a two-run, two-bagger by Labbe. The team then stretched the difference to 7-0 in its next at-bat with RBI from senior Christina Rizzi (Manorville, N.Y.) and Moccio.
 
The Governors chipped into the margin with two runs in the home half of the third, but the River Hawks rallied for six runs in the fourth on three hits, including a grand slam from Moccio, making the score 13-2. Cashman then homered for two more runs in the top of the fifth, and although APSU registered a three-run jack of its own in the bottom of the inning, UMass Lowell earned the 15-5 victory in five innings.
 
The River Hawks pulled in front early in game one against Bradley when sophomore Tori Mueller (Clovis, Calif.) scored on a wild pitch and Labbe doubled in redshirt-senior Casey Harding (Cheshire, Conn.) in the top of the second. The lead was short-lived, though as Bradley answered with three runs, including two RBI, in the third to pull ahead, 3-2.
 
Both teams left one runner on in the fourth, but UMass Lowell regained the upper hand, 5-3, in the fifth. In that at-bat, senior Marianne Sparacia (Spring Hill, Fla.) knocked in Labbe before junior Sara Siteman (Hudson, N.H.) and senior Melany Sheldon (Garbagnate, Milan, Italy) each drove a RBI single to the grass. However, the Braves answered right back once again, this time on a two-run home run that knotted the score at 5-5.
 
Despite UMass Lowell logging one hit in each of its final two trips to the dish, the deciding run came in the bottom of the sixth in the form of a sacrifice fly, lifting Bradly to the 6-5 outcome.
 
The River Hawks, who will be spending the next week in Tennessee, visit Belmont on Wednesday, March 11 for a 4:30 p.m. first pitch.