BOSTON—The UMBC softball team (19-14, 4-5 AE) rallied from a three-run deficit to send the game into extra innings, but a walk-off home run by Boston University first baseman Chelsea Kehr in the eighth gave the host Terriers (20-12, 6-3 AE) a 5-3 victory in the rubber match of the three-game series Sunday afternoon at BU Softball Field.
BU scored three runs in the first, but the Terriers collected just four hits over the next six innings.
Meanwhile, the Retrievers scored twice in the top of the second to pull to within one, 3-2. Junior first baseman Katie Ferguson (North East,Md./North East/Cecil CC) led off the inning with her fifth homer of the season, and junior third baseman Ashley Carver's (Swoyersville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) two-out RBI single drove in freshman shortstop Jessica Warner, (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) who had doubled.
UMBC then tied the game in the sixth on an RBI single by senior designated player Lauren O'Malley(Pasadena, Md./Archbishop Spalding). The Retrievers stranded runners on second and third in both the sixth and seventh innings, then went down in order in the eighth.
With one out in the bottom of the extra frame, third baseman Megan Volpano singled, bringing up Kehr, who cranked a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left-center field for the game-winning home run.
UMBC senior Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits in the 7.1-inning complete game. Holli Floetker earned the victory after tossing 2.2 hitless innings in relief.
The Retrievers return to action on Wednesday, when they visit in-state rival Mount St. Mary's for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
