LOWELL, Mass. – A midweek doubleheader with rival Merrimack leads into the home opener and start of America East play for the UMass Lowell softball team (13-11) as March draws to a close and the doors open for April.
 
Wednesday, March 30
at Merrimack – Watch | Live Stats
 
Saturday, April 2 – Sunday, April 3
vs. Hartford – Watch | Live Stats
 
Last Time Out
The River Hawks will refocus following a 1-3 week, with the team's lone victory coming against Sacred Heart in last Saturday's split. A road doubleheader against a challenging Boston University squad resulted in a pair of losses, but UMass Lowell was able to rebound with a come from behind victory, 5-4, in their first matchup with the Pioneers.
 
Graduate Greatness
Graduate student Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.) wrapped up the last four games by hitting for the cycle over the past week. In game one against Boston, she smacked an RBI triple in a late effort to attempt to tie the Terriers. Labbe tallied a double and home run en route to UMass Lowell's victory over Sacred Heart, closing out the cycle with a single in the second end of the twin bill.
 
White Hot
While sophomore Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) may no longer have her multi-game hit streak intact, she's consistently a helping hand for the River Hawks when it comes to driving in runs. Another pair of RBI for the shortstop ranks her second on the squad in the category with a total of 10 in 2022.
 
Vaillancourt Leading the Pack
Sophomore Becca Vaillancourt (Tiverton, R.I.) continues to succeed and show consistency in the batter's box this season. The catcher and designated player sits atop the team rankings in batting average, hitting for .342 this spring. She's also demonstrated patience at the plate by drawing eight walks to sit her on-base percentage at .442, which ranks her fourth in the America East in that category.
 
Run It Up
Labbe has proved to be a threat on the basepaths and sets the team up for success whenever she has a chance to score. She is tied for the lead among America East players in total runs scored this spring with 19.
 
Stardom in the Circle
Boasting a 9-2 record in 2022, junior pitcher Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) has turned in quality performances whenever she has a chance to throw. She ranks fourth in the conference with a 1.77 ERA and sits in the top three in total strikeouts, having sat down 67 batters.
 
Defensive Dominance
The River Hawks have shined when the ball is put in play by the opposition. UMass Lowell leads the America East with a .966 fielding percentage, having only committed 22 errors on 648 chances. The defense has converted 446 putouts and 160 assists through 24 games.
 
Scouting the Warriors
Merrimack will be eager to take down the River Hawks, as the Warriors have dropped their last five straight games. The hosts enter the matchup with a 6-11 overall record in a schedule with familiar foes in Hartford and Providence.
 
Merrimack opened their season with two wins over the Hawks, who UMass Lowell is set to play this weekend. On March 16, the Warriors visited the Friars and fell short in both ends of their doubleheader. The River Hawks previously played Providence at the Phoenix Invitational hosted by Elon and fell, 5-2.
 
The Warriors frequently switch their personnel, as just five players have started all 17 games this season. Four of them have had quality performances at the plate so far this season, boasting batting averages above .270. Jenna Wike leads the pack, hitting .367 and has 10 RBI to her credit.
 
The River Hawks will look to take advantage of Merrimack's pitching, as each of the players in the Warrior's rotation holds an ERA of over 4.00. Despite this, when the ball is put in play, the defense rarely makes errors. Backing up the team's pitching is a field that has committed just 17 errors, ranking them second in the NEC with a .966 fielding percentage.
 
Scouting the Hawks
UMass Lowell opens their conference slate and with their first home game against an 11-6 Hartford squad. The opponents come to River View Field following a 3-1 weekend invite hosted by Quinnipiac, with the lone loss coming at the hands of Maine.
 
Hartford opened the season at the Norfolk State Invite where they faced off against Hampton and the hosting Spartans just as the River Hawks did the weekend of March 4. The Hawks struggled in the first matchups, going 1-4 against the opposition. Since then, they've turned in wins against Delware State, Manhattan, and Fairfield.
 
The Hawks hold one of the best pitching rotations in the America East by holding just a 2.61 ERA through 17 games. Teams have only been able to draw 24 walks against Hartford and they limit extra base hits, surrendering only 26 doubles, two triples, and six homers. Julianna Kocenski is the ace for the Hawks, boasting an ERA of 1.47 which ranks third best in the America East.

At the plate, Hartford is less threatening. They rank last in the conference in batting average with a team overall of .252. Still, they put the ball in play and are patient at the plate, holding the second lowest strikeout total behind UMBC. Among the Hawks' hitters, Kelsey Galevich has had the most success with a .333 batting average and a tally of 10 RBI.