BOSTON, Mass. – UMBC softball was
unable to get its bats going in Saturday's America East
doubleheader against Boston University at the BU Softball Field,
combining for five hits in the two games. The Terriers went on to
defeat the Retrievers, 8-0, in five innings and came from behind
for the 2-1 victory in game two.
The Retrievers (8-31, 1-10 AEC) gave Boston University a
three-run cushion in the bottom of the first inning of game one,
allowing the Terries to rally for all three runs with two outs in
the frame. A pair of walks, followed by a single from senior second
baseman Emily Roesch scored one run and a two-run double from
junior shortstop Clendenny put BU out in front 3-0.
The Terriers (13-20-1, 4-4 AEC) added a run in the bottom of the
second as junior center fielder Jayme Mask walked, stole second and
advanced to third on an UMBC defensive miscue. Junior catcher Amy
Ekart singled to third base to score Mask and gave Boston the 4-0
advantage.
Mask picked up her second single of the game to lead off the
fourth and went on to steal second and third. Freshman first
baseman Lauren Hynes singled up the middle to drive in Mask and
tack on another run for the Terriers. Ekart added a two-run home
run to left field in the inning for her third RBI of the
contest.
Mask continued to display her speed, bunting for a single in the
fifth and stealing second to move into scoring position. A pair of
wild pitches from sophomore reliever Miranda
Clark (Tampa, Fla./H.B. Plant) allowed Mask to score and end
the game in five innings.
UMBC's sophomore Taylor Hall (Cosby, Va./Cosby)
accounted for the Retrievers' only hit in the contest. BU
starting pitcher Whitney Tuthill tossed the five inning shutout and
fanned five batters. UMBC's starting pitcher Rachel
Ionata (Tampa, Fla./Palm Harbor University) surrendered six
earned runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings.
In game two, the Retrievers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top
of the first inning, as freshman right fielder Danielle
O'Neill (Loathian, Md./Southern) drew one of her two walks in
the contest. Junior first baseman Chelsea
Bertoglio (Laguna Hills, Calif./Laguna Hills/Saddleback
College) singled to right field and moved O'Neill over to
second. Sophomore third basemanCourtney Reinfeld (Parkland,
Fla./Stoneman Douglas) singled to left field to drive in
O'Neill from second and gave UMBC the early lead.
In the bottom of the second, Roesch singled to left field to
lead off the inning and Clendenny followed with a single to right
field. A sacrifice bunt from freshman Haley King advanced both
runners and a ground out to second from Chelsea Kehr evened the
score at one apiece.
The Terriers took the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning
when Kehr singled and advanced to second on an UMBC defensive
error. A sacrifice bunt pushed pinch runner Kendra Meadows to third
and a UMBC error on a ball hit from Mask allowed Meadows to
score.
The Retrievers had an opportunity in the sixth to even up the
score as sophomore designated player Kayla
Margentino (Unionville, Conn./Farmington) walked and sophomore
center fielder Mary Hartman (Eldersburg, Md./Century)
reached on an error, putting runners on first and third with two
outs, but UMBC stranded both runners in the inning.
UMBC pitcher Heather Brown (Pasadena, Md./Northeast)
allowed two runs on six hits in six innings of work, while Hynes
picked up the victory, giving up one earned run on four hits in six
innings. Tuthill came in for the save in the top of the
seventh.
The series concludes on Sunday, April 14 at noon at the BU
Softball Field.
