Brookville, N.Y. - The UMass Lowell River Hawks defeated Le Moyne College 4-1 in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Softball Championships Northeast Regional. Number eight seeded UMass Lowell improves to 29-20 on the season, while the number one seeded Dolphins fall to 32-16 on the season.

UMass Lowell got on the board first in the second inning on a run-scoring single up the middle by Vikki Guido to plate Josselyn Mroz from second base.

The Dolphins tied the score at one with a run in the bottom of the third inning. Senior Lindsay Spaziani (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads) drew a two-out walk to start the rally. Freshman shortstop Kelly Schweikert (Rochester, N.Y./Spencerport) followed with a double to left field to score Spaziani from first base.

The River Hawks took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning on a one-out bases-loaded walk to Stacey Lajoie and a sacrifice fly down the right field line by Laurie Tanguay.

The River Hawks added an insurance run on a Jachael Guanci home run to straightaway centerfield to lead off the top of the seventh inning.

Martha Senko (Pine City, N.Y./Elmira Free Academy) pitched into the fifth inning for the Dolphins, allowing three runs on six hits, while striking out two. Senko falls to 11-5 on the season with the loss. Jennifer Farrelly (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) pitched the final three innings giving up one run on three hits with one strikeout.

Farrelly led the Dolphins offense going 2-for-2, with a double and a walk.

Northeast-10 Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player Kristen Mahoney earned her 18th win of the season for the River Hawks. Mahoney scattered four hits, while yielding the one run and striking out seven.

Le Moyne returns to action Friday morning at 9 a.m. against Adelphi.