BALTIMORE—The UMBC softball team (4-6) belted four home runs, including two by freshman shortstop Jessica Warner (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown), in a 13-4 six-inning rout of Delaware Wednesday afternoon at UMBC Softball Stadium.
After senior hurler Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) struck out the side to start the game, the Retrievers rattled off four runs in the bottom of the first. Senior third baseman Julia Culotta's (Street, Md./North Harford/Tennessee) RBI single started it off, setting the stage for junior left fielder Katie Ferguson's (North East, Md./North East/Cecil CC) two-run home run, her second of the season. UMBC's fourth run of the inning scored on an RBI groundout by Warner.
The Blue Hens scored an unearned run in the top of the second, but senior second baseman Lauren Brummell (Hanover, Va./Hanover) led off the bottom of the frame with her first homer of the season to get the run back.
Weigman ran into some trouble in the fourth, loading the bases, but escaped with only one run scoring, and the Retrievers again answered back in the bottom of the inning, scoring twice. Warner then made it 8-2 with her first career home run leading off the fifth.
Delaware picked up two more unearned run in the top of the sixth to pull to within 8-4, but UMBC exploded for five runs in the bottom of the frame, capped by Warner's walk-off grand slam.
"We started out quickly and answered back every time they scored," UMBC head coach Joe French said. "We had a great day hitting the ball."
Weigman (4-3) allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits and five walks while striking out a season-high seven batters in 5.1 innings of work to earn the victory. Anne Marie Pagano (1-3) took the loss forDelaware. She lasted just two-thirds of an inning and surrendered four runs on four hits and two walks. Kathleen Conway relieved her and was charged with nine runs on seven hits and seven walks while striking out five in 4.2 innings.
Newcomers Warner and Ferguson paced the Retrievers at the plate, as Warner went 2-for-4 with six RBI and two runs scored, while Ferguson went 3-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored. Senior designated player Lauren O'Malley (Pasadena, Md./Archbishop Spalding) also had big day, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and a run. Delaware was led by third baseman Amanda Stacevicz, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The Retrievers return to action this weekend, when they host the UMBC Dawg Pound Invitational beginning Friday.
