ALBANY, N.Y.—The UMBC softball team (20-20, 5-9 AE) managed just five hits in two games, dropping both ends of a doubleheader at America East rival Albany (19-18, 10-1 AE) Friday afternoon at Albany Field. The Great Danes won the first game, 3-0, then took the nightcap, 10-2, in six innings.
UMBC senior second baseman Lauren Brummell (Hanover,Va./Hanover) collected three of the Retrievers' five hits on the day, going 3-for-6 with a double, a steal, an RBI and a run scored.
Game 1: Albany 3, UMBC 0
Both starting pitchers – UMBC senior Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and Albany's Brittany Schweiger – allowed just one hit through three innings.
The Great Danes broke the scoreless tie in the fourth, taking advantage of an error to score on an RBI groundout, and solo homers by catcher Kylie Apostolina and first baseman Gina Mason in the fifth and sixth innings led to the 3-0 final.
Weigman gave up three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out five in the six-inning complete-game loss. Schweiger allowed just one base runner – a one-out single by Brummell in the fourth – and struck out eight to earn the victory.
Game 2: Albany 10, UMBC 2 (6 innings)
Albany scored four runs on five hits in the first inning and never looked back. The Retrievers got one back in the third on Brummell's RBI single, but Mason smashed a three-run homer in the fourth to make it a 7-1 game.
UMBC loaded the bases in the sixth but got just one run on a sacrifice fly by junior first baseman Katie Ferguson (North East, Md./North East/Cecil CC), and the Great Danes scored three more times in the bottom of the inning to win the game, 10-2.
Only four of Albany's 10 runs were earned, as the Retrievers committed five errors in the game. Sophomore Heather Brown (Pasadena, Md./Northeast) took the loss after giving up all 10 runs on 10 hits and striking out four in five innings of work. Albany's Brittany MacFawn gave up two runs on four hits in six innings in the win.
The teams meet again Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the series finale.
