LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell softball team (9-12-1) earned a Kennedy Cup shutout victory, 3-0, against Massachusetts (7-15) in its 2023 home opener on Wednesday.

"We play great at home, usually, and this is a big one for us," said Head Coach Jen Starek. "We love to get after the Kennedy Cup, so it's a great start."

Two River Hawk home runs were the difference in the game, as junior Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.) smashed a two-run shot over the left field wall in the first inning, and graduate student Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y.) added a solo homer in the sixth. Freshman pitcher Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) shut down the Minutewomen lineup, throwing a complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts. 

"Giana was awesome today," commented Starek. "Like ice in her veins."

Massachusetts was an early threat, getting two runners on base quickly to start the game, but LaCedra was able to find her groove and escape the inning. The River Hawks responded with a big inning, as graduate student Tori Mueller (Clovis, Calif.) got it started with a bloop single to left, followed by Fisher's two-run blast to give the River Hawks the lead. 

LaCedra continued to find success in the circle, throwing 1-2-3 innings in both the second and third. The Minutewomen's best scoring opportunity came in the fourth inning when they tallied three singles to load the bases. LaCedra denied the comeback effort, striking out the final two batters to escape the jam.

The visitors seemed to have a good thing going in the top of the sixth. However, once again, LaCedra got the River Hawks back into the dugout. Case then found her pitch in the bottom of the inning and launched one out of the park to extend the lead and secure the 3-0 victory.          

The decision gives the River Hawks a point in the Kennedy Cup, while also picking up their first home win of the season, as they head into conference play this weekend.

"This was good," said Starek. "This was really good to set the tone for how we want to do things." 

The squad will face off against America East Conference foe UAlbany in a three-game set on March 25 and 26.