Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
RUSTON, La. – The UMass Lowell softball team (3-9, 0-0 AE) split their final double header of the Louisiana Tech Invitational on Sunday, defeating Houston Christian (9-9, 0-0 SLC), 4-3, in 10 innings before falling to Louisiana Tech (13-5, 0-0 C-USA) in game two by a score of 8-0.

In game one, Graduate student Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y.) continued to contribute offensively, finishing 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a two-run single to help lead the River Hawks to the victory. Junior Ellie Frederick (Sunapee, N.H.) also proved to be a threat at the plate, tallying two hits with a run scored and the go-ahead RBI single. Senior Ryley White (Wareham, Mass.) kept the Houston Christian lineup at bay from the circle, tossing 6.2 innings with just one run and five hits allowed, while striking out five. Freshman Giana LaCedra (Tyngsboro, Mass.) took over for White in the seventh inning, getting the win with one earned run and five hits allowed in 3.1 innings of work.

"Great pitching from Ryley and Giana today," said Head Coach Jen Starek. "Mya Case led the offense by tying the game and putting the go-ahead runs on the board."

The bats were quiet for both teams through the first four innings, as both pitchers seemed to find their groove from the start. The Huskies were the first on the board in the fifth, but the River Hawks wasted no time retaliating, putting up a run of their own in the top half of the sixth when Case smacked a solo shot over the left field fence to tie it up. 

The game remained at a 1-1 stalemate through the seventh inning, sending the game to extra innings, where the scoreless innings and pitching success continued. In the 10th inning, the River Hawks broke the game open, scoring three runs on Case and Frederick RBI singles to put the pressure on Houston Christian in the bottom half. Despite two runs from the Huskies, LaCedra was able to escape the inning and give the River Hawks the 4-3 extra-inning victory. 

Not much time passed before the squad was back in action for game two against Louisiana Tech. The River Hawks finished with five hits, but could not manage to string them together to drive in runs. Louisiana Tech scored eight runs from the third to the sixth inning to end it via the run rule.

Case picked up another multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with two singles to left field to make it 4-for-7 (.571) on the day. Frederick, along with seniors Darlene Gutierrez (Colton, Calif.) and Cayla Tulley (Corona, Calif.) also had base hits in game two. Graduate students Kaylie See (Chino, Calif.) and Emily Reid (Dighton, Mass.) each pitched two innings in the ball game, while sophomore Jen Slanovec (Bethlehem, Pa.) tossed 1.2 for the River Hawks.  

Next up, the River Hawks will stay in Louisiana to continue their spring break trip, with doubleheaders at Grambling State and Southern on Tuesday, March 7 and Wednesday, March 8.