BALTIMORE—Pitching in the final home game of her career, UMBC senior Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) needed just 85 pitches to complete a five-hit shutout, as the UMBC softball team (25-21, 8-10 AE) defeated America East rival Hartford (7-33, 2-13 AE) by a score of 4-0 Sunday afternoon in the series finale at UMBC Softball Stadium. It was the first shutout of the year for the Retrievers, who have won five in a row.
Weigman, who improved to 16-12 with the win, did not allow more than one base runner in any inning and walked just two while striking out four.
Hartford starter Kaitlyn Meade was nearly as good, as she allowed just four hits through the first five innings. But with one out in the sixth, Meade surrendered back-to-back singles to senior second baseman Lauren Brummell (Hanover, Va./Hanover) and freshman shortstop Jessica Warner (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown).
After a groundout, the runners stood at second and third for junior catcher Angela Yannone(Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake), who lifted a fly ball to center field. Hartford center fielder Shannon Simpkins circled under the ball and appeared ready to make the play, but the ball fell out of her glove, allowing both runs to cross the plate, breaking the scoreless tie. The next batter, junior first basemanKatie Ferguson (North East, Md./North East/Cecil CC) blasted her eighth home run of the season to put the Retrievers on top, 4-0.
Meade (4-14) suffered the tough-luck loss for the Hawks despite not allowing an earned run on seven hits and just one walk in the six-inning complete game.
Ferguson was the only Retriever with multiple hits in the game, as she went 2-for-3.
Prior to the game, the Retrievers honored five seniors – Brummell, Weigman, left fielder Julia Culotta(Street, Md./North Harford/Tennessee), designated player Lauren O'Malley (Pasadena, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and center fielder Lynn Pronobis (Waldorf, Md./McDonough) – in a Senior Day ceremony.
