LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell softball team (4-14) will be busy this week, getting back to work with five games on the docket. The River Hawks will first make the short trip Merrimack to square off in a twin bill on Wednesday, March 27 beginning at 2 p.m. before beginning America East play with a three-game series at Bryant on March 29-30. 
 
Wednesday, March 27
at Merrimack (DH) (2 p.m. | 4 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
 
Friday, March 29
at Bryant (4 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
 
Saturday, March 30
at Bryant (DH) (1 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
at Bryant (DH) (3 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
 
Team History
Merrimack – All-time record: 24-31 | Last meeting: March 29, 2023 (12-0, UML)
Bryant – All-time record: 27-19 | Last meeting: May 10, 2023 (11-3, UML)
 
Last Time Out
UMass Lowell earned its third straight Kennedy Cup victory last week, picking up a 7-0 win at Massachusetts on March 20. Senior pitcher Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) tossed a complete game shutout, collecting season bests for fewest hits allowed (2) and most strikeouts (12). Senior Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) fueled the River Hawk offense, batting 3-for-4 (.750) with a triple and three runs. Senior Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J) and freshman Isabel Quintanilla (Puyallup, Wash.) both grabbed a double, with Fisher adding three RBI. Graduate Student Brenna Davenport (Merrimack, N.H) also contributed with a hit and two runs.
 
Following the game against Massachusetts, the River Hawks were set to host UAlbany for the America East opener on March 23, however, a cold and rainy system passed through the Lowell area, forcing the conference-opening series to be rescheduled to Wednesday, April 3.
 
Leading the Flock
Lea White and Morgan Fisher lead the River Hawks at the plate through 18 games. L. White is batting .359 with 23 hits, 12 runs and 10 RBI, while Fisher is hitting .321 with 18 hits, nine runs, nine RBI and two home runs. Junior Trinadey Santiago (Cheshire, Conn.) has also impressed, batting .300 with 12 hits, three runs, two doubles and four RBI in 15 appearances. Isabel Quintanilla leads all freshmen with a .211 batting average, 12 hits, ten runs, six RBI and two home runs. Ryley White has found her rhythm in the circle, making ten appearances and seven starts. She leads the River Hawks in wins (4), strikeouts (68), batting average against (.255) and complete games (4). 
 
Scorching Starts
Ryley White and Morgan Fisher have had impressive starts to their 2024 campaign. White tossed a season-high 12 strikeouts in last week's outing against Massachusetts (3.20), the most she's recorded since February 16, 2023, where she threw a career-high 16 strikeouts in a win against Norfolk State. She also ranks tenth in the nation for strikeouts per seven innings (10.0). Morgan Fisher has also performed well, so far. In 18 games, she has caught 11 runners stealing, ranking her fourth in the country.
 
Patience at the Plate
The River Hawks remain disciplined at the plate, earning 55 walks so far. Isabel Quintanilla leads the squad with nine walks, ranking third in the conference. Trinadey Santiago and Morgan Fisher are close behind, ranking in the top ten in the conference with seven each, followed by six River Hawks who have earned five walks, respectively.
 
Too Fast to Catch
Through 18 games this season, the River Hawks have a near-perfect stolen base percentage, going 19-for-21. Senior Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) and Lea White lead all players with five stolen bases each, followed by junior Emily Tow (North Kingstown, R.I.) with three. Freshman Elizabeth Neeld (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) is close behind with two, and four River Hawks who have also recorded one stolen base each.
 
Conference Leaders
The River Hawks have several players who rank highly in conference statistics so far. Isabel Quintanilla ranks third in walks drawn (7), while Lea White ranks in the top ten in the America East in hits (23), batting average (.361) and stolen bases (5). 
 
Graduate Student Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) and L. White are two of 13 players in the America East to record a triple, while Ellie Frederick ranks seventh in the conference in doubles (5). In the field, Morgan Fisher ranks fourth in the conference in putouts (106) and first in runners caught stealing (10), while Brenna Davenport is tied for first in double plays (5) and Tulley ranks first in fielding percentage (1.000). 
 
In the circle, Ryley White is tied for first in the conference in strikeouts (68). She also ranks in the top ten in ERA (3.68), opposing batting average (.255), innings pitched (47.2) and wins (4). Sophomore Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) ranks in the top fifteen in ERA (4.24), strikeouts (20) and innings pitched (38.0). 
 
America East Weekly Winners
Two River Hawks have earned America East weekly honors this season. Isabel Quintanilla earned America East Rookie of the Week on February 13, the first of her collegiate career. She collected three hits, three RBI and two runs scored at the Lion Classic hosted by Texas A&M Commerce and capped off the weekend by collecting her first career home run. Ryley White was tabbed America East Pitcher of the Week on March 12 for the fifth time as a River Hawk. The senior made a relief appearance in game two of a doubleheader with George Mason, going 3.2 innings pitched, registering a 2.18 ERA and striking out five batters to secure a comeback victory.
 
Scouting the Warriors
Merrimack finished the 2023 season with an 18-30 record, going 11-10 to finish fourth in the NEC Conference. This season, the Warriors are 6-19, going 1-2 in their conference opener against Le Moyne last week. Merrimack returns several key players, including junior infielder/outfielder Ellen Hubbard and graduate student pitcher Madie Fornwalt. Hubbard, who earned the 2023 NEC Player of the Year award, ranks highly on her team and in the conference. Through 25 games, Hubbard leads the conference in batting average (.390), and also ranks first on her team in hits (30), doubles (8) and on-base percentage (.466), while scoring nine runs with six RBI. In the circle, Fornwalt leads the Warriors in almost every pitching statistic. She ranks first in wins (4), ERA (2.52), complete games (7), strikeouts (42) and opposing batting average (.245).
 
Scouting the Bulldogs
Bryant will be the first conference opponent that UMass Lowell meets in 2024. In their first season competing in the America East, the Bulldogs fell, 11-3, to the River Hawks in the first round of the 2023 America East Championship. They finished the 2023 season with an 18-29 overall record, going 6-12 in conference to earn fifth place. So far this season, Bryant has a 14-7 overall record and is coming off a pair of wins against America East foe Binghamton. Bryant is led by graduate student Aleix Hudson, a 2023 All-Conference Second Team selection, and senior utility player Alexis Clancy. In 21 games, Hudson ranks first on the team in RBI (23), runs (24) and home runs (5) while also ranking in the top five in batting average (.348), hits (24) and stolen bases (3). Clancy leads the team in hits (27) while ranking in the top three in runs (16), RBI (12), doubles (7) and home runs (4). The Bulldogs also return graduate student pitcher Kylie Kenney, who in 12 appearances and nine starts, posts a 5-4 record with a 4.03 ERA. She leads her team in wins (5), innings pitched (48.2) and strikeouts (50).