LOWELL, Mass. – Following a series win over Stony Brook, the UMass Lowell softball team (26-18, 10-7 America East) has slotted itself into the third overall seed for the America East Championship. The River Hawks will open the postseason against sixth seeded Maine in the first round on Wednesday, May 11, at Binghamton.
 
Wednesday, May 11 – 1:30 p.m.
vs. #6 Maine – Watch | Live Stats
 
Full Tournament Bracket

Last Time Out
UMass Lowell wrapped up its regular season with a three-game set against Stony Brook, who entered the weekend leading the conference with a 9-4 record in America East play.
 
The River Hawks opened their Friday slate with a 2-0 loss to the Seawolves. Despite an eight-strikeout effort from freshman Jen Slanovec (Bethlehem, Pa.), the offense was unable to find the gaps in the field for hits. The home squad tallied just one hit but struck out only three times in the ball game.
 
The offense kicked things into gear in the second end of the twin bill, using a five run second inning to propel them on to victory. A two-RBI single by sophomore Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) sealed an 11-3 run rule win over the opposition in six innings to split the Friday doubleheader.
 
Fortunes continued on Senior Day. The River Hawks jumped out to a 6-0 advantage by the end of the second frame, with several players contributing to the offensive successes. Graduate Student Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) tallied four RBI in the game as the team, again, went on to win via run rule, 10-2, after five innings.
 
Fantastic Freshman
Slanovec picked up her first America East weekly award as the conference Rookie of the Week for her performances against Stony Brook. Over the weekend she threw for 9.0 innings, allowed just two earned runs, and struck out eight hitters for a new season high.
 
Graduate Greatness
Since the start of America East play, no player on the River Hawks has been better with a bat in their hands than Moccio. In conference play, the first baseman has hit for a .375 average, third best in the league against America East opponents. Since UMass Lowell opened their conference slate on April 2 against Hartford, she's driven in 16 RBI, hit five doubles, and has struck out only five times (least among starting players).
 
Against Stony Brook, she hit .444 and drove in seven RBI, including one home run.
 
Sophomore Sluggers
Sophomores Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) and Becca Vaillancourt (Tiverton, R.I.) also have been very effective at the dish, not just in conference play, but all season.
 
Vaillancourt ranks top ten in the America East in batting average (.340), OPS (.944), and walks (8), against conference opponents. She also has hit the most doubles in America East competition, knocking eight two-baggers.
 
White's 19 hits in conference play slot her sixth in batting average with a .365. She's come across to score 10 times and stole three bases.
 
To-Tulley Spectacular
Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) added four more RBI to her tally over the course of the weekend, bringing her total to 35 on the season. Her efforts slot her fourth in the rankings among America East players in the category.
 
Run It Up
Graduate Student Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.) 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 fifth among America East players in total runs scored this spring with 31.
 
Hitting Their Stride
The River Hawks as a team have turned in impressive at-bats in America East competition. The squad leads the league in average against conference foes, batting .276 and driving in 87 RBI. Additionally, their patience at the plate has served them well, having drawn 50 walks.
 
Scouting the Black Bears
Hartford had just two America East victories entering the final week of regular season play but swept the Black Bears to close out the season to snatch the #5 seed in the tournament. The Black Bears fell to last in the conference standings with a 4-12 record.
 
The River Hawks faced off against Maine in Orono on April 13 and took care of business with a 7-2 victory. More recently, on April 27, the Black Bears split a midweek doubleheader with the squad.
 
Maine's pitching staff has had difficulty throughout the season, costing them the three-game set to Hartford. The Hawks, who rank last in the conference with a .242 team average, outscored the Black Bears 20-12 over the weekend. They carry a 4.46 team ERA into the postseason, something that UMass Lowell's top ranked offense will look to take advantage of.