The University of Maine softball team will open its home schedule against UMass Lowell on April 11 and 12 at the Pierre & Catherine Labat Softball Complex in Orono, according to an April 9 announcement.
This series marks the first home games for Maine this season, offering fans a chance to see the Black Bears play locally. The doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday starting at noon, with a single game set for Sunday at noon. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Saturday’s opener will feature a giveaway of commemorative Maine softball steins to the first 50 students attending. Sunday’s game is designated as Bark in the Park, inviting fans and their dogs to attend. Live statistics for each matchup will be available through GoBlackBears.com.
In recent matchups between these teams, UMass Lowell swept Maine in a three-game series held three weeks ago. The Black Bears hold an overall record of 19-22 against the River Hawks since their first meeting in 1986. Last spring, Maine went 3-4 against UMass Lowell across regular season and postseason play.
UMass Lowell enters the weekend with an even record of 18-18 overall and is currently holding a conference mark of 5-4. The River Hawks are led offensively by Ella Van Alstyen and Elizabeth Neeld, who both have batting averages above .300 this season. On the mound, Olivia DeCitise leads with nine wins and over one hundred strikeouts.
For Maine, Kaelyn Larkin ranks fifth in conference batting average at .377 while Francesca Guerrera leads her team with twenty-nine hits so far this year. Alysen Rieth has recorded fifty-nine strikeouts over seventy-two innings pitched and is nearing three hundred career strikeouts.
Looking ahead, Maine will face Husson at home on Wednesday evening before hosting Binghamton for another weekend series.
