LOWELL, Mass. – After a five-game home stretch, the UMass Lowell softball team (8-25, 3-10 AE) hits the road for its final non-conference games of the season, before returning to River View Field for its final homestand of the 2024 season. The River Hawks travel down to Easton, Mass. to face off against Stonehill for a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 24, before welcoming Maine for a three-game series, set for April 27-28.
Wednesday, April 24
at Stonehill (DH) (3 p.m. | 5 p.m.) –
Live Stats | Watch
Saturday, April 27
vs Maine (DH) (1 p.m. | 3 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
Sunday, April 28
vs Maine (12 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
Team History
Stonehill– All-time record: 36-13 | Last meeting: April 25, 2023 (3-2, UML)
Maine – All-time record: 14-16 | Last meeting: May 11, 2023 (7-0, ME)
Last Time Out
Last week began with a doubleheader against Binghamton on Wednesday, March 27. The River Hawks dropped both games, falling 4-2 in game one before falling just short, 4-3, in game two. Graduate student Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) collected her first home run of the 2024 campaign, adding two RBI and a run across both contests.
The River Hawks continued the homestand, welcoming Bryant for a three-game series that kicked off with a twin bill on Saturday, April 20. Home runs from senior Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.) and junior Emily Tow (North Kingstown, R.I.) in the final inning put pressure on the Bryant defense, but the visitors held on to an 8-5 decision for game one. Bryant then took a 5-1 decision in game two, before closing out the three-game series with a 5-2 victory on Sunday, April 21. Fisher led UMass Lowell at the plate over the weekend, grabbing three hits, three RBI and two runs scored. Freshman Isabel Quintanilla (Puyallup, Wash.) also crushed a home run in game three, making it her fifth of the season to lead the River Hawks.
Leading the Flock
Senior Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) and Fisher lead the River Hawks at the plate through 33 games. L. White is batting .330 with 38 hits, 25 runs and 19 RBI, while Fisher boasts a .291 batting average with 30 hits, 19 RBI and 14 runs. Sophomore Katelyn Fitzgerald (Ambler, Pa.) has also impressed, recording a .274 batting average with 23 hits, eight RBI and three runs. Senior Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) is batting .235 with 24 hits, 18 runs, 10 RBI and eight doubles while Quintanilla leads all freshmen with a .198 batting average, 20 hits, 18 runs, 17 RBI and a team-leading five home runs. In 14 appearances and 10 starts, graduate student Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) leads the River Hawks' rotation in wins (7), strikeouts (118), batting average against (.245) and complete games (9).
Don't Tread on Her
Morgan Fisher has proven to be incredibly difficult for runners to advance on. In 33 games, she has caught 14 runners stealing, putting her tied for fifth in the country.
Mill City Milestones
Ryley White surpassed 450 career strikeouts in the first game of a doubleheader against Binghamton (4.17), the first player to achieve this milestone in UMass Lowell softball's Division I era. R. White currently ranks second all-time in program history for career strikeouts, 128 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 13 strikeouts two weeks later at Merrimack (3.27). The graduate student also ranks 19th in the nation for strikeouts per seven innings (9.1).
Patience at the Plate
The River Hawks remain disciplined at the plate, earning 96 walks so far. Quintanilla leads the squad with 16 walks, ranking her sixth in the conference. Frederick and Fisher are close behind with 13 and 12 to rank ninth and 11th in the America East, respectively. Lea White and Tulley are next with ten each, followed by junior Trinadey Santiago (Cheshire, Conn.) with nine, then Fitzgerald and graduate student Brenna Davenport (Merrimack, N.H.) with seven each.
Too Fast to Catch
Through 33 games this season, the River Hawks boast the best stolen base percentage in America East, going 41-for-44 (.932). Lea White leads all players with 11 stolen bases, which ranks tied for third in the conference. Frederick is next with nine stolen bases to rank ninth in the America East, followed by Tulley with six. Tow has stolen five bases, followed by six 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 tied for sixth in the America East in hits (38) and is in the top 15 in batting average (.330), runs scored (22), RBI (19) and doubles (5). Quintanilla ranks sixth in America East in walks (16).
Cayla Tulley and L. White are two of 20 players in the America East to record a triple, while Frederick is tied for sixth in the conference in doubles (8). In the field, Fisher ranks third in the conference in putouts (194) and first in runners caught stealing (14), while Davenport sits third in double plays (9).
In the circle, Ryley White leads the conference in strikeouts (118), ranks third in innings pitched (96.2) and wins (7), and is eighth in opposing batting average (.245). Sophomore Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) ranks in the top fifteen in ERA (5.86), strikeouts (38) and innings pitched (65.2).
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 Skyhawks
Wednesday's doubleheader against Stonehill will be the last non-conference contest for the River Hawks for the 2024 regular season. The Skyhawks finished the 2023 season with a 4-42 overall record, going 2-19 in conference to finish eighth in the Northeast Conference. So far this season, Stonehill is 10-28 overall, sitting eighth in the conference with a 2-13 record, and is coming off a loss against #23 Boston University. They were projected to finish eighth in the 2024 NEC Preseason Poll, finishing just ahead of conference newcomer, Le Moyne. The Skyhawks are led by junior infielder Shannon Conte, junior utility player Isabella Therrien, and junior pitcher Skylar Brandemarte. Conte posts a .317 batting average and leads her team in hits (32), RBI (18), runs (14), home runs (4) and on-base percentage (.417), which ranks eighth best in the conference. Therrien hits .217 at the plate and ranks in the top five on her team in hits (20), RBI (11) and home runs (2). She is also one of two Skyhawks to have hit a triple this season. In the circle, Brandmarte posts a 4-12 record with a 5.33 ERA, leading the rotation in strikeouts (36), innings pitched (93.1) and complete games (7).
Scouting the Black Bears
The weekend series will be the first meeting between UMass Lowell and Maine in 2024. The Black Bears were one game away from playing in the 2023 America East Softball Championship game, but fell to UAlbany, 5-3. They finished the 2023 season with a 16-39 overall record, going 4-15 in the America East to earn last place. In 2024, Mains has a 3-32 overall record, sitting last in the conference with a 1-14 record. The Black Bears were projected to finish fifth in the 2024 America East Preseason Poll, garnering nine points to finish ahead of just Bryant. Maine is led by sophomore infielder Krista Francia, a 2023 All-Rookie Team selection, and junior utility player Katie Jo Moery. Francia has started all 35 games for the Black Bears, batting .256 with 23 hits, 13 runs scored and 10 RBI, while leading her team with 79 assists. Moery posts a team-best .279 batting average, eight doubles, and six stolen bases, while also collecting 28 hits, 11 RBI and nine runs scored.
