LOWELL, Mass. – After an eventful week that saw five home games, as well as a graduation and Senior Day celebration, the UMass Lowell softball team (19-25-1, 7-10 AE) is back on the road to face off against UMBC (21-14, 13-3 AE) in their final series of the regular season. 

Friday, May 5
at UMBC (4:00pm EST) Live Stats | Watch
at UMBC (6:00pm EST) Live Stats | Watch

Saturday, May 6
at UMBC (12:00pm EST) Live Stats | Watch

Team History
UMBC – All-time record: 12-15 | Last meeting: April 8, 2022 (UMBC, 5-2) 
 
Last Time Out
Last week, the UMass Lowell softball team played five games, all at home, including a Tuesday doubleheader with Stonehill and a three-game America East Conference series against UAlbany. The squad swept Stonehill with two one-run games before taking two of three against the Great Danes by scores of 4-2 and 6-2 in the final two games of the series. The River Hawks are currently in fourth place in the America East and have a chance to swap spots with the third-place Great Danes if they close they can pick up some wins this weekend at UMBC.

Saturday's game against UAlbany marked the Senior Day celebration for the River Hawks, honoring graduate students Tori Mueller, Kaylie See, Mya Case and Emily Reid, as well as seniors Darlene Gutierrez, Brenna Davenport, Cayla Tulley and Ryley White.     

Junior Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.) led the River Hawks offensively, finishing the week 7-for-15 (.467) with three multi-hit games. She also tallied two runs, a double, a home run and four total RBI. In the game one loss to the Great Danes, junior Ellie Frederick smashed two two-runs home runs, finishing the week with three runs and four RBI. Cayla Tulley joined Fisher as a home-run hitter in the game three victory, sending a two-run homer over the fence, finishing the game with three RBI. Freshman Giana LaCedra and White each picked up two complete-game victories on the week against each team they played.       

DO NOT Run on Her 
Fisher has proven to be one of the best catchers in the nation at catching runners stealing this season, as she ranks tied for fifth in the NCAA with 17 runners caught stealing. She leads the conference as well by a whopping nine runners. On top of her defensive success, Fisher also leads the River Hawks in most offensive categories.

Conference Comparison
The River Hawks' surge in offense as of late has launched many players into top spots in the America East statistical categories. Graduate student Tori Mueller is tied for the conference-lead in runs scored (31), while classmate and teammate Mya Case sits in seventh (25). Fisher and Frederick rank fourth and fifth in hits, respectively, as Fisher has 44 and Frederick has tallied 41. Tulley and Fisher are also second and third in RBI with 35 and 34, respectively, while Fisher ranks tied for third in doubles (9). Tulley is also tied for fourth in triples (2) and is tied with Frederick for the conference-lead in home runs (8). Case sits in third with 6. 

In the circle, senior Ryley White sits near the top of almost every statistical category. White has only allowed two home runs to lead the conference. She also boasts the conference's third-best ERA (2.13), while ranking third in opposing batting average (.216) and runs allowed (30). She also ranks third in earned runs allowed (26) and fourth in walks allowed (21). LaCedra, the freshman, has the fourth-most innings pitched (106.1) in the conference, as well as wins (10). She is also maintaining a top-five ERA (2.70). 
 
Scouting the Retrievers
UMBC is another team that found success in the 2022 season, finishing with an America East Conference record of 12-6 (31-12 overall). The Retrievers won the America East Championship for the second consecutive year over the two-seeded UAlbany to earn themselves a trip to the NCAA Tournament, where they fell to Duke and Georgia. They were projected to finish atop the conference once again for the 2023 season, ranking first in the 2023 America East Preseason Poll with four first-place votes. So far this season, UMBC is 13-3 in the conference, with an overall record of 21-14. The Retrievers are coming off a three-game sweep of Maine and a doubleheader split with Bryant.

The team has returned 2022 America East Pitcher of the Year Courtney Coppersmith to the roster this season. Last season, Coppersmith earned her third Pitcher of the Year award and allowed just four runs in 90 innings of work. Her 0.31 ERA led the conference and ranked second in the nation. She also led the nation in strikeouts per seven innings (13.7) with just 19 walks. She was selected to the All-America East First Team as a pitcher and to the Second Team as an outfielder, proving her versatility. Alongside Coppersmith, the Retrievers also have last season's America East Rookie of the Year in current sophomore pitcher Kya Matter. She went 15-3 with a 1.03 ERA last season, and currently leads the team with a 1.91 ERA and 11-5 record. Eight of Matter's 17 starts have been complete games and she has collected two shutouts as well. She also has 107 strikeouts in 113.2 innings of work.