UMass Lowell River Hawks Open Conference Play at Binghamton

Read Time:3 Minute, 57 Second

LOWELL, Mass. – America East action returns as the UMass Lowell baseball team (3-14, 0-0 AE) will open the conference slate with a trip to Vestal, N.Y. to take on the defending champion Binghamton Bearcats (8-8, 0-0 AE) for a weekend series.

Series Info

Friday, March 24 at Binghamton (3 p.m.)

Bearcats Sports Complex (Vestal, N.Y.)

ESPN+ | Live Stats

Probable Starters: RHP Matt Draper (1-3) vs. LHP Thomas Babalis (1-2)

Saturday, March 25 at Binghamton (2 p.m.)

Bearcats Sports Complex (Vestal, N.Y.)

AE.tv | Live Stats

Probable Starters: LHP Jacob Jette (1-1) vs. RHP Gabe Driscoll (2-0)

Sunday, March 26 at Binghamton (1 p.m.)

Bearcats Sports Complex (Vestal, N.Y.)

ESPN+ | Live Stats

Probable Starters: RHP Nick DiRito (1-1) vs. RHP Ryan Bryggman (2-2)

SERIES HISTORY
UMass Lowell has a 15-17 overall record against Binghamton dating back to the 1999 season. The River Hawks and Bearcats met five times last season, with UMass Lowell winning the regular season series 2-1. Binghamton won the playoff matchup before defeating the River Hawks in the America East Championship last season.

LOOKING AT UMASS LOWELL
UMass Lowell visits Binghamton with a 3-13 overall record after going 1-2 against Delaware over the weekend. The River Hawks fell in the first two games before winning the series finale 9-6 on Sunday afternoon. Jacob Jette was lights out on the mound, retiring nine straight hitters through three scoreless frames. Joshua Becker earned his first save of the season while Jacob Humphrey extended his hit streak to nine games. The offense struggled in the first two games but put up nine runs on nine hits in the finale.

Jacob Humphrey leads the way batting .343 on the season, including a nine-game hit streak. The sophomore has tallied team-highs in total bases (32), hits (24), runs (13), and stolen bases (7). Gerry Siracusa is the only other River Hawk with 20 hits while five other players have at least 10 hits.

The River Hawks weekend rotation will include LJ Keevan, Matt Draper, and Nick DiRito. Keevan has had a difficult start to the season with an 0-5 record but has shown he can produce on the bump. Matt Draper is 1-3 this season and the veteran has provided energy and strong outings each time he takes the mound. Nick DiRito is 1-1 in five appearances in his rookie campaign, proving to be a bright young talent in the pitching core.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Binghamton welcomes the River Hawks to Vestal after falling 15-1 in its most recent non-conference game against Penn State. The Bearcats are tied with Bryant for most wins in the league with an 8-8 overall record. As a unit, Binghamton leads the conference hitting .298 through 16 games and a league-high 160 hits. Tommy Reifier sits atop the league in batting average, hitting .436 with 24 hits, 13 runs, and nine RBIs in 16 starts. Eight other players have reached double-digit hits this season. The Bearcats return three strong starters on the mound from last season, with Thomas Babalis, Gabe Driscoll, and Ryan Bryggman all set to start over the weekend. Driscoll has a team-high 1.63 ERA and a 2-0 record in five appearances. He has also struck out 25 hitters while Babalis and Bryggman have sat 20 and 19 hitters, respectively.

STOLEN GOODS
The River Hawks are 13-19 on stolen base attempts through fourteen games this season. Jacob Humphrey is 7-9 this season while Gerry Siracusa is a perfect 2-2. Fritz Genther and Conor Kelly are both 1-1 this season. Base running was a huge help for the River Hawks last season, and they will look to continue that trend with last season’s speed guys like Humphrey, Genther, and Robert Gallagher.

UML OFFENSE
It’s been a slower start than anticipated, but the River Hawks’ offense is slowly finding its stride. Jacob Humphrey’s nine-game hit streak leads the team, as does his 24 hits and 13 runs this season. Gerry Siracusa has 20 hits while five other River Hawks are up to double-digit hits. UMass Lowell has been outscored 166-68 through 17 games and will look to right the ship as conference play begins.

EXTRA BASES
Through 17 games, the River Hawks have hit 22 doubles, with Gerry Siracusa, Fritz Genther, and Ryan Proto leading the way with four each. Jacob Humphrey and Frank Wayman have the team’s only triples this season, with one each. UMass Lowell has hit nine home runs this season and Fritz Genther has a team-high three, including a grand slam.