BALTIMORE—After struggling to find a clutch hit for most of the afternoon, the UMBC softball tem (6-9) broke through with a five-run fifth inning to defeat Drexel, 5-3, in the final game of the UMBC Dawg Pound Invitational. Earlier in the day, the Retrievers dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker to Canisius.
Canisius 3, UMBC 2
Canisius shortstop Katie Lancellotti's two-out, two-run single in the top of the first gave the Golden Griffins an early lead. The Retrievers got one back in the third when junior first baseman Katie Ferguson(North East, Md./North East/Cecil CC) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and the score remained 2-1 until the top of the sixth, when Canisius designated player Lauren Falzone tripled with two outs to drive in the visitors' third run of the game.
The Retrievers missed several opportunities, leaving nine runners on base through the first six innings. Finally in the seventh, UMBC had two on with one out for senior designated player Lauren O'Malley (Pasadena, Md./Archbishop Spalding), who hit a ground rule double into the left field corner. One runner scored to make it 3-2, but the other was forced to stay at third base, and the Retrievers could not bring her home to tie the game.
Senior Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) took the tough-luck loss for UMBC to fall to 4-5 on the season. She allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits and struck out six in seven innings. Amanda Baun earned the complete-game victory for Canisius after giving up two runs on six hits and six walks while also striking out six.
UMBC 5, Drexel 3
UMBC's bats continued to struggle for the early part of the second game, as the Retrievers did not manage a hit until the fourth inning. Drexel, meanwhile, got two runs in the second on a home run by pitcher Shelby Taylor.
The Dragon's 2-0 led held up until the fifth, when the Retrievers' bats came to life, exploding for five runs on six hits. Senior center fielder Lynn Pronobis (Waldorf, Md./McDonough) got the scoring started with a two-run double on a 1-2 pitch, and senior left fielder Julia Culotta (Street, Md./North Harford/Tennessee), O'Malley and freshman shortstop Jessica Warner (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) each followed with RBI singles that put UMBC on top, 5-2.
Drexel got one back in the sixth, but after catcher Paige Collings' RBI single, Ferguson retired the final six batters of the game to hold on for the win.
Ferguson earned the complete-game victory, her first as a Retriever. She allowed three runs on four hits and struck out six. Taylor took the loss for Drexel after surrendering five runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks in 4.2 innings of work.
The Retrievers return to action on Wednesday, when they host George Mason at 3:30 p.m.
