LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell softball team (16-25, 6-11 AE) looks ahead to hosting its final weekend series of the season against America East opponent UMBC (17-26, 11-7 AE) at River View Field. The team will celebrate Senior Day on Friday, May 2 with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. before wrapping up the regular season with a single game on Saturday, May 3 at 12 p.m.
May 2 vs. UMBC (DH)
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May 3 vs. UMBC
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Series History
The River Hawks are 17-21 all-time against UMBC. UMass Lowell owns an 8-6 home record over the Retrievers. The Retrievers took a 2-1 edge in the first series between the two teams earlier this season.
Last Time Out for the River Hawks
UMass Lowell took on Stonehill to start last week, securing a doubleheader sweep with a 2-1 outcome in the first game and a 10-0 final result to close the twin bill. Freshman Avery Spinello-Branch (Lorton, Va.) batted 4-for-6 at the plate, while adding five RBI and three runs on the day against the Skyhawks. Senior Jen Slanovec (Bethlehem, Pa.) went 5.1 innings in the circle, adding two strikeouts in game one. In game two, Freshman Olivia DeCitise (Troy, N.Y.) pitched 5.0 innings with six strikeouts, allowing two hits and no earned runs.
The River Hawks earned a 9-0 victory in game one of a three-game series against Maine. Spinello-Branch recorded two hits, two RBI and one run in that contest. Junior Giana LaCedra (Tyngsborough, Mass.) tossed 5.0 innings, with seven strikeouts and no earned runs. UMass Lowell then fell in a doubleheader, though, as freshman Thyanais Santiago (Methuen, Mass.) knocked three hits with a double on the day. DeCitise pitched 6.0 innings with six strikeouts in the first game of the twin bill, while LaCedra registered three strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched in the second game.
Leading UMass Lowell
Freshman Emily Baumes (Rexford, N.Y.) leads the team with a .323 batting average through 124 at-bats with a .395 slugging percentage and a .429 on-base percentage. She has totaled 40 hits with 17 RBI.
DeCitise registers a 3.74 ERA through 113 innings pitched. She holds a 9-9 record with 111 strikeouts this season.
Extra Extra
Spinello-Branch guides the team on the base paths with 18 stolen bases.
Patience at the Plate
Freshman Kate Hardy (Alexandria, Va.) leads the River Hawks in walks with 18.
America East Rankings
UMass Lowell ranks fifth in the America East with a 6-11 conference record.
Spinello-Branch ranks first in the America East for sac bunts with eight and second for stolen bases with 18.
Baumes ranks sixth in the conference for on-base percentage with a .429 average.
LaCedra ranks fifth in innings pitched with 110.2 and tied for second in saves with two. DeCitise sits at fourth for innings pitched with 113 and fourth for strikeouts with 111. They both sit in the top five for earned run average, with DeCitise in fourth (2.91) and LaCedra behind in fifth (3.16).
Scouting the Retrievers
UMBC recently fell in a three-game series this past weekend against conference foe Binghamton.
Junior Emily Riggs leads the team with a .344 batting average, adding 42 hits, 28 RBI, 26 runs and 10 home runs. Sophomore Haley Luginbill guides the team in RBI with 38, also adding 35 hits, 18 runs and nine home runs on a .337 batting average.
In the circle, senior Kya Matter has seen the most innings with 127.1 pitched, striking out a team-high 134 batters. Matter also holds a 3.90 ERA.
