VESTAL, N.Y. – After opening Friday afternoon with a win over Binghamton (22-23, 7-8 America East) to advance to the semifinals, the UMass Lowell softball team (28-20, 10-7 America East) fell one game short of reaching the America East championship game in a loss to UAlbany (25-16, 10-6 America East).
 
The River Hawks took down the hosting Bearcats, 3-0, but were eliminated from the postseason by the Great Danes, 5-3, in the final game of Friday afternoon.
 
"We talked to the kids after the game and told them 'You've done some incredible things. This one moment doesn't define the season,'" said Head Coach Jen Starek. "We've had big wins, emotional wins, and dug in. We used the whole team. Everyone contributed all year. We've had such an awesome culture. Everyone did everything we asked since we got the job in August. They've been so supportive and they're one of the best groups I've had the chance to work with."
 
Sophomore Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) finished the afternoon with a 3-for-6 performance, knocking in three RBI. Graduate student Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.) recorded a two-hit game against the Bearcats. Junior Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) pitched a complete game shutout to get the win that included seven strikeouts from the circle.
 
The Bearcats worked runners to first and second base to start out the second frame, but three straight strikeouts from White retired the side before damage could be dealt.
 
Neither squad was able to break the defense until the fourth inning when the River Hawks got onto the scoreboard. With a pair of runners on, Frederick hit a two RBI double to the left field fence to put UMass Lowell out front. Senior Tori Mueller (Clovis, Calif.) brought her in with the following at bat by hitting a double of her own, pushing the advantage to 3-0.
 
Binghamton pressured in the sixth with two runners in scoring position, but a pop up to White drew the inning to a close. Two more strikeouts in the final frame sealed the victory for the River Hawks, advancing them to play in the semifinal against UAlbany.
 
The Great Danes jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first that held for three more innings. UAlbany later recorded back-to-back two run turns at the plate in the fourth and fifth, going up 5-0.
 
Despite trailing, the River Hawks punched back in the sixth frame. An RBI single by Moccio put the squad on the board with one out in the inning. Not much later, a single by Frederick to left field brought in another score to close the gap. Moccio would eventually come home to score UMass Lowell's third run of the game on a ball hit by junior Brenna Davenport (Merrimack, N.H.).
 
UAlbany were able to turn a double play to give the River Hawks just one out to work with. The final out was recorded, eliminating UMass Lowell with a 5-3 result.
 
The season ends with 28 wins for the team, tying the highest win total in the Division-I era for the River Hawks.