Sacred Heart
13-18
UMass Lowell
16-15
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| UMass Lowell | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | X | 14 | 12 | 0 |
Softball Falls at UMass Lowell
3/31/2026 7:10:00 PM | Softball
Kowalski and Henke hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (13-18)
UMass Lowell (16-15)
UMass Lowell 14, SHU 3 (5 Inn.)
Pitchers:
Emily Campion (SHU) – (L, 0.1 innings pitched, 7 earned runs, 1-2 record)
Emily Heath (SHU) – (3.2 innings pitched, 7 earned runs, 5 strikeouts)
Ella Van Alstyne (UMass Lowell) – (W, 5.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 6 strikeouts, 3-0 record)
Top Performers:
Sam Kowalski – 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 home run
Nicole Henke – 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 home run
How It Happened:
The Pioneers found themselves in trouble in the first inning, trailing 7-0 after one.
SHU started to chip away with a run in the third inning to get within six, 7-1. With Kaelyn Freed on third after a walk, a steal and a wild pitch, Elle Leckrone smacked a double off the right field fence to plate Freed easily.
Unfortunately for the Pios, Lowell added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 10-1.
Sacred Heart did find a spark in the top of the fourth inning, leading off the frame with back-to-back homers. Sam Kowalski started the surge with a solo shot to left center before Nicole Henke sent a moon shot over the right field wall. SHU ended up putting two runners on in the inning, but could not score another run, as the visitors went to the bottom of the fourth trailing 10-3.
Again, the River Hawks were ready with an answer, scoring four in the bottom of the fourth to take a commanding 14-3 advantage. A scoreless fifth for the Pios sealed a 14-3 win for UMass Lowell in five innings.
Emily Heath entered the circle in relief and got the final 11 outs for SHU and finished one strikeout shy of tying her season high with five.
Notes:
- Today's loss halted a four-game win streak for the Pios.
- Kowalski hit a team-leading sixth home run this afternoon.
- Kowalski has a hit in 12 of her last 14 games and in three straight.
- Henke hit her fourth homer of the season, one shy of her career high.
- Henke has a hit in five straight games.
- Henke is up to 15 homers in her career.
- Heath finished one strikeout shy of tying her season high with five in 3.2 innings.
- Leckrone has a hit in four straight games.
SHU welcomes Merrimack on Friday, April 3, for a series-opening doubleheader at 1 p.m. Pioneer Park.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ella Van Alstyne (3-0)
L: Campion, Emily (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Leckrone, Elle 1
HR: Kowalski, Sam 1 ; Henke, Nicole 1
RBI: Leckrone, Elle 1 ; Kowalski, Sam 1 ; Henke, Nicole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kowalski, Sam 1 ; Henke, Nicole 1 ; Freed, Kaelyn 1
SB: Freed, Kaelyn 1
HBP: Lichtenberger, Ava 1
Batting:
2B: Elizabeth Neeld 1 ; Avery Spinello-Branch 1
RBI: Ella Van Alstyne 2 ; Madi Wade 2 ; Isabel Quintanilla 3 ; Kate Hardy 2 ; Elizabeth Neeld 1 ; Julia Rowley 1 ; Olivia DeCitise 1 ; Avery Spinello-Branch 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ella Van Alstyne 3 ; Thyanais Santiago 2 ; Madi Wade 1 ; Isabel Quintanilla 1 ; Kate Hardy 1 ; Elizabeth Neeld 2 ; Julia Rowley 2 ; Avery Spinello-Branch 2
SB: Ella Van Alstyne 2 ; Thyanais Santiago 1 ; Avery Spinello-Branch 2
