LOWELL, Mass. – America East play opened on a high note for the UMass Lowell softball team (17-11, 2-0), as it claimed victory in both tilts against Hartford Saturday afternoon.
 
The River Hawks welcomed their fans in the team's home opener with a stellar game one showing that ended 8-0 after five innings and followed it up with a 9-4 win to close out the day.
 
"I thought we did great all-around today. We had good pitching, defense and some great at-bats that were timely with a lot of people in supporting positions," said Head Coach Jen Starek. "We try to take care of the small details. We emphasize them in practice and plan out what we want to do so we can put ourselves in good positions. They've done a really good job and play hard."
 
Junior Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) put on quite the show from the pitching circle in her game one outing. In the five innings of action, she sat down a season-best 11 batters on strikes to pave the way for the River Hawks' third straight shutout. At the plate, three different players drove in three RBI for UMass Lowell between both contests. One such player, graduate student Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.), turned in a 4-for-7 showing at the dish and came across to score three times, as well.
 
The River Hawks slugged their way to a 5-0 advantage just two innings into the ballgame. Graduate Student Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) shot a two RBI double out to center field to strike first for the home squad. The next batter, sophomore Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.), followed it up by clearing the basepaths with a three-run homer that bounced off the top of the left field fence.
 
On defense, White continued to dominate. By the middle of the fourth inning, she already had fanned 10 hitters on strikes, putting her on pace to beat her career high of 12.
 
The bats continued to pile it on for UMass Lowell, slinging them to an 8-0 lead. Three consecutive at-bats for the River Hawks scored runs in the fourth frame. Sophomore Becca Vaillancourt (Tiverton, R.I.) hit a sacrifice fly, followed by back-to-back RBI doubles by junior Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) and sophomore Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.).
 
Though she would not have the chance to beat her personal best, White struck out one more Hartford batter in the fifth frame to seal the shutout win via the run rule.
 
The River Hawks kept their foot on the gas as the page turned to game two. Miscues by the opposition's defense opened windows of opportunity for UMass Lowell to break open the scoring in the bottom of the first. A single down the left field line by senior Tori Mueller (Clovis, Calif.) then knocked in two more runs for the squad to put the home team up, 6-0, at the end of the opening inning.
 
Hartford earned a pair of runs back in the fourth frame on a home run to left center field, but UMass Lowell bounced right back.
 
Labbe hit an RBI single out to right field, but an error allowed the ball to roll all the way to the fence, giving her time to round each of the bases and score herself, advancing the River Hawks to an 8-2 lead. Later, a single through the left side by sophomore Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) drove in one more score for the team.
 
A two-run sixth inning by Hartford could not jump start a late comeback, allowing UMass Lowell to wrap up game two, 9-4.
 
The River Hawks aim for the series sweep on Sunday, April 3, at River View Field, with first pitch set for 12 p.m.