LOWELL, Mass. – Following its first conference series win this season, the UMass Lowell softball team (8-20, 3-5 AE) will play two series at River View Field this week. The River Hawks first play host to conference leaders Binghamton for a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 17, before welcoming Bryant for a three-game series, set for April 20-21.
Wednesday, April 17
vs. Binghamton (DH) (1 p.m. | 3 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
Saturday, April 20
vs. Bryant (DH) (1 p.m. | 3 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
Sunday, April 21
vs. Bryant (12 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
Team History
Binghamton – All-time record: 15-13 | Last meeting: April 22, 2023 (8-2, BING)
Bryant – All-time record: 28-21 | Last meeting: March 30, 2024 (12-3, UML)
Last Time Out
Last week started with the home opening doubleheader against UAlbany on Wednesday, April 10. The River Hawks fell in game one, 9-1, before dropping the second game, 8-0.
UMass Lowell followed with a trip to UMBC for a three-game series, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 13. The Retrievers pulled out a 7-0 decision in game one, before the River Hawks earned a 9-2 victory. Senior Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) collected three hits and two RBI on the day, including a solo home run, while graduate student Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) pitched all seven innings, allowing two runs and striking out eight batters. With the series on the line, L. White used her momentum the previous day, starting game three with a leadoff home run to give UMass Lowell the lead. Despite a late charge from UMBC, the River Hawks would hold on for a 4-3 decision to claim their first conference series win of 2024. Sophomore Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) also garnered her first win this season, pitching a complete game with three runs allowed and four strikeouts.
Leading the Flock
Through 28 games, Lea White leads UMass Lowell at the plate. L. White bats .381 with 37 hits, 22 runs and 19 RBI, adding a team-high eight stolen bases. Senior Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.) and sophomore Katelyn Fitzgerald (Ambler, Pa.) have also performed well in the batter's box. Fisher boasts a .299 batting average with 26 hits, 14 RBI and 12 runs, while Fitzgerald has a .290 batting average with 20 hits, eight RBI and two runs. Senior Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) has also impressed, batting .239 with 21 hits, 18 runs, 10 RBI and seven doubles. Freshman Isabel Quintanilla (Puyallup, Wash.) leads all freshmen with a .209 batting average, 19 hits, 16 runs, 16 RBI and a team-leading four home runs. In 16 appearances and 12 starts, R. White leads the River Hawks' rotation in wins (7), strikeouts (97), batting average against (.235) and complete games (7).
Don't Tread on Her
Morgan Fisher has proven to be incredibly difficult for runners to advance on. In 28 games, she has caught 11 runners stealing, putting her tied for tenth in the country.
Mill City Milestones
Ryley White is one strikeout shy of collecting 450 career strikeouts, which has never been accomplished in UMass Lowell Softball's Division I era. R. White currently ranks second all-time in program history for career strikeouts, 149 behind first-place holder Kristen Mahoney. She collected her 400th career strikeout in a doubleheader against Mount St. Mary's (3.16) before tossing a season-high 12 strikeouts against Massachusetts (3.20). R. White went on to top that mark, grabbing 13 in the following game at Merrimack (3.27). The graduate student also ranks 21st in the nation for strikeouts per seven innings (8.9).
Patience at the Plate
The River Hawks remain disciplined at the plate, earning 79 walks so far. Elizabeth Frederick leads the squad with 12 walks, ranking her fourth in the conference. Morgan Fisher and Isabel Quintanilla are close behind with 11 and 10 walks to rank in the top fifteen in the conference, respectively. Junior Trinadey Santiago (Cheshire, Conn.) is next with nine, followed by four River Hawks who have earned at least five walks, respectively.
Too Fast to Catch
Through 28 games this season, the River Hawks boast the best stolen base percentage in America East, going 32-for-35 (.914). Elizabeth Frederick and Lea White lead all players with eight stolen bases each, followed by junior Emily Tow (North Kingstown, R.I.) and senior Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) with five each. Freshman Elizabeth Neeld (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) has stolen three bases, followed by three River Hawks who have recorded one stolen base each.
Conference Leaders
So far, the River Hawks have several players who rank highly in conference statistics. Lea White ranks second in the America East in batting average (.381), sixth in hits (31) and on-base percentage (.447), and seventh in runs scored (22). Elizabeth Frederick ranks fourth in America East in walks (12).
Cayla Tulley and L. White are two of 18 players in the America East to record a triple, while Frederick is tied for ninth in the conference in doubles (7). In the field, Morgan Fisher ranks fourth in the conference in putouts (160) and first in runners caught stealing (12), while graduate student Brenna Davenport (Merrimack, N.H.) is second in double plays (8).
In the circle, Ryley White ranks second in the conference in strikeouts (97) and also ranks in the top ten in opposing batting average (.235), innings pitched (76.2) and wins (7). Giana LaCedra ranks in the top fifteen in ERA (5.72), strikeouts (33) and innings pitched (56.1).
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 Bearcats
Wednesday's doubleheader will be the first meeting between Binghamton and UMass Lowell in 2024. The Bearcats reached the semifinals of the 2023 America East Softball Championships, but fell to Maine, 6-4. They finished the 2023 season with a 29-18 overall record, going 13-7 in conference to earn second place. So far this season, the Bearcats are 25-10 overall, leading the conference with a 7-2 record, and are coming off a series sweep against Maine. They were projected to finish second in the 2024 America East Preseason Poll, finishing just behind UMBC with 22 points and two first-place votes. Binghamton returns six 2023 All-Conference selections, led by junior third baseman Brianna Santos, a 2023 All-Conference First Team selection, and sophomore utility player Lindsey Walter, a 2023 All-Conference First Team selection. In 35 games, Santos leads her team in batting average (.369), hits (41), runs (25), doubles (13) and stolen bases (11). She is also one of two players remaining in the conference to have a perfect fielding percentage. Walter ranks second on the team in batting average (.333), hits (32), runs (21) and stolen bases (9), while posting two home runs and eight RBI. Binghamton also returns Brianna Roberts, the 2023 America East Rookie of the Year. In 18 appearances and 13 starts, she posts an 8-5 record with a 2.32 ERA, 93 strikeouts and a .207 batting average against
Scouting the Bulldogs
This weekend will be the second meeting between the River Hawks and Bulldogs of the 2024 season. Bryant took a 2-1 series victory in the first meeting, claiming a 5-4 decision in eight innings in game one before picking up a 7-6 win in game two. UMass Lowell took game three of the series with a 12-3 decision in five innings. The Bulldogs hold a 23-11 overall record, so far, and are 9-3 in the America East, putting them in second place based on conference win percentage. In the 2024 America East Preseason Poll, Bryant was projected to finish in sixth place, garnering 5 points.
The Bulldogs are led by 2023 All-Conference Second Team selection, Aleix Hudson, and senior utility player, Alexis Clancy. Hudson has started all 34 games this season, hitting .318 with 34 hits, 34 runs scored, 34 RBI and six home runs to rank in the top two on her team. She collected four hits, four runs, and two RBI in her first meeting against the River Hawks. Clancy also ranks highly on the Bryant squad, posting a .374 batting average with 43 hits, 26 RBI, 24 runs scored and 11 doubles, all of which rank top three on the team. Against UMass Lowell this season, she has a .200 batting average with two hits and three RBI. In the circle, graduate student Kylie Kenney leads all Bryant pitchers, posting a 13-7 and 3.89 ERA with 76 strikeouts, 75.2 innings pitched and four complete games.
