LOWELL, Mass. – After 23 games on the road, the UMass Lowell softball team (6-17, 1-2 AE) will play its 2024 home opener this weekend. The River Hawks welcome America East Conference foe UAlbany (15-8, 4-2 AE) for a doubleheader before hitting the road to face off against UMBC (15-14, 5-4 AE) in a three-game series. 
 
Tuesday, April 9
vs. UAlbany (DH) (1 p.m. | 3:30 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
  
Saturday, April 13
at UMBC (DH) (12 p.m. | 2 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
 
Sunday, April 14
at UMBC (12 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
 
Team History
UAlbany– All-time record: 20-21 | Last meeting: April 29, 2023 (6-2, UML)
UMBC – All-time record: 13-18 | Last meeting: May 11, 2023 (UMBC, 7-0)
 
Last Time Out
Last week started with a doubleheader at Merrimack on Wednesday, March 27. The River Hawks split the twin bill, taking a 5-1 victory in game one before falling just short, 7-5, in game two. Freshman Isabel Quintanilla (Puyallup, Wash.) shined across both games, knocking in five RBI to go along with her third home run of the 2024 campaign.
 
UMass Lowell then made its way to Bryant to kick off America East play with a three-game series, beginning with a single game on Friday, March 29. A seventh-inning home run from senior Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) capped off a four-run comeback for the River Hawks, sending the game to extra innings. However, the Bulldogs edged out a 5-4 decision in eight innings with a game-winning RBI single. Bryant took game two, 7-6, in a back-and-forth battle before UMass Lowell earned a bounce-back victory in the series finale, picking up a 12-3 win in six innings. Graduate student Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) threw all six innings in game three, allowing four hits and three runs, while striking out three in the victory. Senior Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) led the squad, batting 7-for-11 with three runs and two RBI, while senior Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.) collected five hits and four RBI across the series.
 
Leading the Flock
Lea White, Morgan Fisher and sophomore Katelyn Fitzgerald (Ambler, Pa.) lead the River Hawks at the plate through 23 games. L. White is batting .388 with 31 hits, 18 runs and 15 RBI, while Fisher boasts a .320 batting average with 24 hits, 14 RBI and 11 runs. Fitzgerald posts a .340 batting average with 18 hits, eight RBI and two runs, while currently riding a five-game hitting streak. Elizabeth Frederick has also impressed, batting .267 with 20 hits, 17 runs, nine RBI and seven doubles. Isabel Quintanilla leads all freshmen with a .243 batting average, 18 hits, 15 runs, 15 RBI and a team-leading four home runs. In 14 appearances and 10 starts, Ryley White leads the River Hawks' rotation in wins (6), strikeouts (84), batting average against (.235) and complete games (6). 
 
Scorching Starts
After Ryley White tossed a season-high 12 strikeouts against Massachusetts (3.20), she topped that mark with 13 in the following game at Merrimack (3.27). The graduate student also ranks in the top 25 in the nation for strikeouts per seven innings (9.1).
 
Don't Tread on Her
Morgan Fisher has proven to be incredibly difficult for runners to advance on. In 23 games, she has caught 11 runners stealing, putting her tied for fourth in the country. 
  
Patience at the Plate
The River Hawks remain disciplined at the plate, earning 69 walks thus far. Isabel Quintanilla and Elizabeth Frederick lead the squad with 10 walks apiece, tied for sixth in the conference. Junior Trinadey Santiago (Cheshire, Conn.) and Morgan Fisher are close behind, ranking in the top fifteen in the conference with eight each, followed by five River Hawks who have earned at least five walks, respectively.
 
Too Fast to Catch
Through 23 games this season, the River Hawks boast the best stolen base percentage in America East, going 26-for-29 (.897). Elizabeth Frederick and Lea White lead all players with seven stolen bases each, followed by junior Emily Tow (North Kingstown, R.I.), senior Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) and freshman Elizabeth Neeld (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) with three. Three River Hawks have also recorded one stolen base each.
 
Conference Leaders
So far, the River Hawks have several players who rank highly in conference statistics. Elizabeth Frederick and Isabel Quintanilla are tied for fourth in America East in walks (11). Lea White ranks sixth in the America East in hits (31), batting average (.388), on-base percentage (.447), and runs scored (18). 
 
Cayla Tulley and L. White are two of 14 players in the America East to record a triple, while Frederick is tied for sixth in the conference in doubles (7). In the field, Morgan Fisher ranks third in the conference in putouts (135) and first in runners caught stealing (11), while graduate student Brenna Davenport (Merrimack, N.H.) is tied for first in double plays (7) and Tulley ranks first in fielding percentage (1.000). 
 
In the circle, Ryley White leads the conference in strikeouts (84), while ranking in the top ten in opposing batting average (.235), innings pitched (64.2) and wins (6). Sophomore Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) ranks in the top fifteen in ERA (5.17), strikeouts (28) and innings pitched (46.0). 
 
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 and registering a 2.18 ERA while striking out five batters to secure a comeback victory.
 
Scouting the Great Danes
UAlbany will be the first conference opponent that UMass Lowell meets in 2024. The Great Danes reached the 2023 America East Championship game, but fell to UMBC, 9-3. They finished their season with a 24-20 overall record, going 11-7 in conference to earn third place. So far this season, the Great Danes are 15-8 overall, and are second the conference with a 4-2 record after coming off a series win against UMBC. They were projected to finish fourth in the 2024 America East Preseason Poll, finishing just behind UMass Lowell with 14 points. UAlbany returns three players who earned 2023 All-Conference selections, including graduate student outfielder Caitlyn Mitros and graduate student catcher Maddi Petrella. Through 15 games this season, Mitros ranks first on the team in batting average (.420), hits (29), runs (18) and stolen bases (8), while Petrella ranks first in slugging percentage (.609) and doubles (8), and ranks second in on-base percentage (1.109) and home runs (4). The team also returns redshirt junior pitcher Kate Powers, who in eight appearances and six starts, posts a 4-1 record with a 1.34 ERA, 23 strikeouts and a .140 batting average against.
 
Scouting the Retrievers
UMBC ended the 2023 season with a 26-17 overall record, going 15-4 in conference to earn first place. They went on to earn their fourth straight conference title, earning a 9-3 victory over UAlbany. In 2024, the Retrievers are 15-14 overall, and are fourth in the conference with a 5-4 record after dropping two decisions in a three-game series with UAlbany. They were projected to finish first in the 2024 America East Preseason Poll, claiming 23 votes and four first place votes. UMBC returns several players from last year's championship squad, including Ashley Della Guardia, a 2023 All-Conference First Team selection, and Emily Riggs, a 2023 All-Rookie Team selection. In 24 games this season, Della Guardia posts a .319 batting average and ranks in the top five on the team in hits (25), RBI (20), runs (15), and doubles (4). Riggs, who has started all 26 games, leads her team in RBI (26) and home runs (5) while ranking in the top five on her squad in hits (24), and runs (11). The rotation is led by Mya Katter, a 2023 All-Rookie Team selection. In 18 appearances and 16 starts, she posts a 6-8 record with a 2.56 ERA and leads her team in strikeouts (102) and complete games (10).