River Hawks Knock Off Co-Hosts Norfolk State at Spartan-Pirate Clash

Friday, March 4

Norfolk, VA

4PM

University of Massachusetts Lowell

6-4

Norfolk State University

8-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UMass Lowell	0	4	0	0	2	0	0	6	9	0
Norfolk State	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	7	1

3/4/2022 8:05:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – Senior Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.) drove in two runs en route to a 6-2 win for the UMass Lowell softball team (6-4) against co-host Norfolk State (8-7) on the opening day of the Spartan-Pirate Clash.

Quality pitching by junior Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) backed up by a reactive defense kept the Spartans at bay on the scoreboard, despite the opponent's seven hits. She would finish the evening with nine strikeouts to record her fourth win of the season.

Five different River Hawks recorded an RBI on the evening, including the two-run double by Labbe. Sophomores Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) and Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) turned in solid approaches at the dish, each recording two hits, an RBI and a run.

"Overall, this was just a solid team win," said Head Coach Jen Starek. "All around we had good pitching, quality defense and timely hitting. We're off to a great start to the season."

UMass Lowell jumped out to a 4-0 lead in just the second inning of the ball game. Graduate student Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) got the River Hawks on the board with a sacrifice fly to right field that gave time for Frederick to slide through home safely. Doubles by Lea White and Labbe to right field and left center, respectively, knocked in another trio of runs to extend the lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, Norfolk State began to rally and pressured offensively. The Spartans hit a deep double that opened the door for the hosts to score a runner from first base. A perfectly executed relay from Frederick to Lea White to catcher Becca Vaillancourt (Tiverton, R.I.) beat the runner headed home, though, drawing the inning to a dramatic close.

The River Hawks kept the momentum, thanks to a solo home run by junior Brenna Davenport (Merrimack, N.H.) over the right center field fence. Frederick then followed it up two batters later by hitting into a fielder's choice to stretch the lead to 6-0.

While the Spartans answered with a solo shot and later an RBI single, the advantage held to give UMass Lowell the victory.

The River Hawks travel to Hampton Saturday morning to play Drexel and the co-hosting Pirates at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.