Box Score AMHERST, Mass. – Senior Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) batted 3-for-4 (.750) with a triple and three runs, as the UMass Lowell softball team (4-14) defeated in-state rival Massachusetts (5-18), 7-0, on Wednesday afternoon to earn its third straight Kennedy Cup.
"It was a great day to be a River Hawk," commented Head Coach Jen Starek. "The offense really came alive this afternoon."
Senior Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.) batted .500 with a double and two RBI to add to the offense, while freshman Isabel Quintanilla (Puyallup, Wash.) also notched a double, along with two walks, an RBI and a run. Senior Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) collected a hit and two RBI, as well, and graduate student Brenna Davenport (Merrimack, N.H.) contributed a hit and two runs.
Graduate student Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) earned the win in the circle and dominated from the first pitch. She allowed just two hits, while collecting a season-high 12 strikeouts in a complete-game victory.
"Ryley was outstanding on the mound and our defense was good," applauded Jen Starek.
The Kennedy Cup began with a pitcher's duel, as both starters allowed only three runners on base across the first two innings. UMass Lowell was able to break it open in the top of the third, though, loading the bases to bring up Frederick, who drove a shot to left field to score Davenport and L. White, giving the River Hawks a 2-0 advantage.
Massachusetts threatened in the bottom half of the third, putting runners in scoring position with only one out. The River Hawks stayed composed, as junior Trinadey Santiago (Cheshire, Conn.) recorded a putout to first before R. White recorded her sixth strikeout to extinguish the opportunity.
The River Hawk lineup caught fire in the fifth, starting with an RBI double from Isabel Quintanilla to make it 3-0. Fisher followed with a double of her own, sending a ball to deep right field and adding two more runs to the UMass Lowell lead to make it 5-0. The away team then loaded the bases again to set up sophomore Katelyn Fitzgerald (Ambler, Pa.) to plate Frederick from third and grow the buffer to 6-0 after five innings.
In the top of the sixth, L. White put herself into scoring position after a center field triple before scoring on a ball put into play by Fisher, creating the 7-0 margin.
R. White collected two strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh and L. White ended the game with caught pop fly, sealing the victory.
Following the postponement of the conference opener between UMass Lowell and UAlbany, the team now looks ahead to a doubleheader against Merrimack, set for Wednesday, March 27, starting at 2 p.m.
