VESTAL, N.Y. – Freshman Kate Hardy (Alexandria, Va.) collected a double while sophomore Olivia DeCitise (Troy, N.Y.) registered nine strikeouts in relief, as the No. 5 UMass Lowell softball team dropped an elimination contest to No. 6 Maine by a score of 3-0 on day one of the America East Championship, hosted by Binghamton University.
 
After falling to No. 4 Bryant, 10-2, in game one of the America East Championship, the River Hawks moved onto the elimination contest against the Black Bears. UMass Lowell's season ends with a 17-29 record.
 
Hardy, freshman Thyanais Santiago (Methuen, Mass.) and freshman Madi Wade (Hagerstown, Md.) each notched hits against Maine. Earlier in the day, senior Emily Tow (North Kingstown, R.I.) headlined the River Hawk offense in the six-inning loss against the Bulldogs, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run. Sophomore Elizabeth Neeld (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) and sophomore Alaina Santoli (Lovettsville, Va.) also notched hits for UMass Lowell against Bryant.
 
The River Hawks extinguished an early opportunity in the first inning of game two, throwing out a Maine runner at the plate after a lead-off double started the frame. Junior Giana Lacerda (Tyngsboro, Mass.) then posted a strikeout to end the threat with another runner aboard. Freshman Emily Baumes (Rexford, N.Y.) led off with a walk to get UMass Lowell started in the home half of the inning and eventually moved to third on a pair of groundouts, but the Black Bears got out of the inning unharmed.   
 
Then, freshman Grace Stepp (Richboro, Pa.) threw out a Maine runner at second, as LaCedra turned in another scoreless frame. UMass Lowell applied pressure in the bottom of the second with a double off the bat of Hardy, but Maine forced two groundouts to keep the game scoreless. 
 
DeCitise replaced LaCedra in the third with runners on first and second, but a walk and a wild pitch allowed Maine to ultimately take a 1-0 lead. The Black Bears then doubled their lead in the fourth on an RBI double before tacking on another run in the fifth on a one-run triple, while DeCitise fanned three batters in the frame to keep the difference at 3-0.
 
DeCitise continued to settle in, adding two more punchouts in the sixth and a pair in the seventh to keep UMass Lowell within striking distance. Santiago and Wade hit singles in the seventh, but the River Hawks could not generate enough offense to get on the board, sealing the 3-0 decision. 
 
Prior to the setback against Maine, UMass Lowell dropped its first contest in the double-elimination tournament, 10-2 to No. 4 Bryant. DeCitise, who started in the circle, tossed a pair of scoreless innings until Bryant began to build a lead in the third. The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the frame after drawing a walk and a hit by pitch before taking a 4-0 lead on a two-run double.
 
Tow pelted a double of her own to lead off the fourth, setting the table for a walk by Santiago and a Neeld single to load the bases. Wade's ensuing groundout scored Tow to cut the different to 4-1.
 
Bryant tacked on two insurance runs in the home half to extend its lead to 6-1. Santoli singled in the fifth, as Bryant escaped another inning unscathed ahead of its four-hit fifth that made it 6-1. 
 
Tow's home run was crushed over the center field wall in the sixth, but the River Hawks were unable to mount a late-game comeback before Bryant went on to take the 10-2 victory.