LOWELL, Mass. – After closing its final home series of the 2024 season with a sweep against Maine, the UMass Lowell softball team (12-26, 6-10 AE) hits the road for its final America East series of the season, before the 2024 America East Softball Championships. The River Hawks travel to Vestal for a for a three-game series with Binghamton, set for May 3-4.
Friday, May 3
at Binghamton (DH) (4 p.m. | 6 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
Saturday, May 4
at Binghamton (1 p.m.) – Live Stats | Watch
Team History
Binghamton– All-time record: 15-15 | Last meeting: April 17, 2024 (4-3, BING)
Last Time Out
Last week started with a doubleheader at Stonehill on Wednesday, April 24. UMass Lowell split the twin bill, taking game one 13-4 before falling, 6-1, in game two. Six River Hawks collected at least two hits in the first contest, including senior Morgan Fisher (Glassboro, N.J.), who recorded her first career grand slam in the nine-run victory.
The River Hawks returned to River View Field for their final homestand of the 2024 season, welcoming Maine for a three-game series that kicked off on Saturday, April 27. Early hits from senior Elizabeth Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) and junior Trinadey Santiago (Cheshire, Conn.), along with 13 strikeouts from graduate student Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) guided the hosts to a 3-0 victory in game one. UMass Lowell then took a 4-3 decision in game two, where freshman Olivia DeCitise (Troy, N.Y.) earned her first collegiate victory, before closing out the series with a 5-2 win on Sunday, April 28, to sweep the Black Bears. Graduate student Brenna Davenport (Merrimack, N.H.) led the River Hawks at the plate, adding five hits, two runs and two RBI to help spark the offense. Santiago also collected at least one hit in all three games, grabbing two RBI and a run, as well.
Leading the Flock
Senior Lea White (Meriden, Conn.) and Morgan Fisher lead the River Hawks at the plate through 33 games. L. White is batting .333 with 44 hits, 27 runs and 22 RBI, while Fisher boasts a .291 batting average with 34 hits, 23 RBI and 18 runs. Brenna Davenport is hitting .290 with 31 hits, 13 runs and 10 RBI, and is currently riding a 10-game hitting streak, the longest by any River Hawk this season. Elizabeth Frederick is batting .257 with 31 hits, 21 runs, 15 RBI and nine doubles. Freshman Isabel Quintanilla (Puyallup, Wash.) leads all freshmen with a .200 batting average, 22 hits, 20 runs, 17 RBI and a team-leading five home runs. In 14 appearances and 10 starts, Ryley White leads the River Hawks' rotation in wins (10), strikeouts (150), batting average against (.241) and complete games (12).
Don't Tread on Her
Morgan Fisher has proven to be incredibly difficult for runners to advance on. In 38 games, she has caught 15 runners stealing, putting her tied for fourth in the country.
Mill City Milestones
Ryley White surpassed 500 career strikeouts in the final contest of a three-game series against Maine (4.28), 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, 96 behind first-place holder Kristen Mahoney. She collected her 450th career strikeout in a doubleheader against Binghamton (4.17), and tossed 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) and against Maine (4.27). The graduate student also ranks 23rd in the nation for strikeouts per seven innings (8.6).
Hot Hitting
Brenna Davenport has been a reliable batter for the River Hawks in the last two weeks. The New Hampshire native is riding a 10-game hitting streak that started in the first game of a doubleheader against Binghamton. She has collected 14 hits in that span, with three doubles, four runs and three RBI. She is tied for third with the longest-hitting streak in program history.
Patience at the Plate
The River Hawks remain disciplined at the plate, earning 114 walks so far. Isabel Quintanilla and Morgan Fisher lead the squad with 16 walks each, tied for sixth in the conference. Elizabeth Frederick is close behind with 15 to rank ninth in the America East, respectively. Lea White and graduate student Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) are next with 14 and 11, followed by junior Trinadey Santiago (Cheshire, Conn.) with 10, then Brenna Davenport with nine.
Too Fast to Catch
Through 38 games this season, the River Hawks boast the best stolen base percentage in America East, going 51-for-59 (.864). Lea White leads all players with 14 stolen bases, good enough to rank tied for third in the conference. Elizabeth Frederick is next with 12 stolen bases to rank tied for fourth in the America East, followed by junior Emily Tow (North, Kingstown, R.I.) and Cayla Tulley with six. Sophomore Shannon Howes (Palgrave, Ontario) and freshman Isabel Neeld (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) have stolen three bases, followed by five 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 third in the America East in stolen bases (14), seventh in hits (44), and tenth in batting average (.333). She also ranks in the top 20 in runs scored (27), RBI (22) and doubles (6). Isabel Quintanilla and Morgan Fisher both rank sixth in America East in walks (16).
Cayla Tulley, L. White and Elizabeth Frederick are three of 20 players in the America East to record a triple. Frederick is also tied for seventh in the conference in doubles (9). In the field, Morgan Fisher ranks third in the conference in putouts (228) and first in runners caught stealing (15), while Brenna Davenport is third in double plays (11).
In the circle, Ryley White leads the conference in strikeouts (150), ranks third in innings pitched (120.0) and wins (10), eighth in opposing batting average (.241) and ninth in ERA (3.44). Sophomore Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) ranks in the top fifteen in ERA (5.68), strikeouts (39) and innings pitched (69.0).
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. She garnered her sixth America East Pitcher of the Week award on April 30 after earning two wins in a three-game series against Maine. She held a 1.52 ERA in 23.1 innings pitched and collected 32 strikeouts.
Scouting the Bearcats
This weekend's final three-game series of the season will be the second meeting between the River Hawks and Bearcats. Binghamton took a pair of victories in the first meeting, claiming a 4-2 decision in game one before edging out a 4-3 win in game two. So far, the Bearcats hold a 31-14 overall record and lead the America East with a 13-4 conference record. In the 2024 America East Preseason Poll, Binghamton was projected to finish in second place, garnering 22 points and two first-place votes.
Binghamton is 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. Santos has started all 45 games and leads her team in batting average (.336), hits (48), runs (31), doubles (15) and stolen bases (12). She remains one of two players remaining in the conference to have a perfect fielding percentage. Walter ranks second on the team in batting average (.311), hits (37), and stolen bases (11), while posting 21 runs scored, two home runs and nine RBI. Binghamton is also led by senior pitcher Allison L'Amoreaux, making 19 appearances and 14 starts this season, posting a 12-4 record with a 3.13 ERA, 101 strikeouts and a .229 batting average against.
