BALTIMORE – UMBC freshman
shortstop Bridget O'Malley (Brooklyn, Md./Seton Keough)
launched her second home run of the season to break a scoreless
game one and give the Retrievers a 2-0 lead, but UMBC would go on
to fall 3-2 in nine innings to Binghamton in America East softball
action at the UMBC Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Retrievers
dropped game two of the doubleheader, 14-1.
Sophomore Taylor Hall (Cosby, Va./Cosby) batted a
team-best .429 (3-for-7) on the afternoon, while
sophomore Kayla Margentino (Unionville, Conn./Farmington)
registered a .500 on-base percentage.
Binghamton (14-11, 4-1 AEC) threatened in the top of the first
inning of game one, putting runners on first and second with
back-to-back singles from right fielder Sydney Harbaugh and
designated player Tiffany McIntosh, but UMBC starting
pitcher Heather Brown (Pasadena, Md./Northeast) was able
to get the next two batters to fly out to end the frame.
Hall sent a one-out single into left field in the bottom of the
fourth inning and advanced to second on a passed ball, but the
Retrievers stranded Hall on second on a fly ball to left field and
its fifth strikeout of the contest.
The Bearcats put two more runners on in the top of the sixth on
a pair of singles with one out. Pinch hitter Griffin McIver looked
to have broken the scoreless affair with a shot to left field, but
freshman Jane Pardo (Malverne, N.Y./Sacred Heart)
stretched out for the touch catch to keep runners on first and
second.
O'Malley put UMBC (8-27, 1-7 AEC) on top in the bottom
half of the inning. Freshman designated player Danielle
O'Neill (Loathain, Md./Southern) drew a one-out walk and
O'Malley followed with a two-run home run into left field.
The home run cued the exit of starting pitcher Demi Laney, who
allowed two runs on three hits and finished with six strikeouts in
5.1 innings.
Binghamton was finally able to cash in on some of its runners,
after stranding nine runners on base through the first six innings.
A hit batter and walk with one out put runners on first and second.
A groundout to shortstop advanced both the runners and left fielder
Jessica Phillips took advantage with a blooper just over the head
of second baseman Caitlin Chance (Easton, Md./Easton) to
score Harbaugh from third and pinch runner Rhoda Marsteller from
second, evening the score at two apiece.
BU, who left 13 runners on base in game one, did so again in the
top of the eighth. Third baseman Mikala King led off with a double
to right field and was sacrificed over to third on a bunt from
shortstop Caitlyn Friis, however, Brown was able to retire the next
two batters to strand King on third.
Brown walked the first batter in the top of the ninth before the
Retrievers went to the bullpen to bring in sophomore Miranda
Clark (Tampa, Fla./H.B. Plant). Clark walked two more batters
to load the bases and a dribbler from catcher Taylor Chaffee to the
right of the circle scored the game-winning run for the
Bearcats.
Brown (5-11) tossed nine innings and surrendered three runs on
nine hits. Kate Price (4-4) earned the win, throwing 3.2 scoreless
innings.
Clark, UMBC's game two starter, walked the bases loaded to
open the contest. A fielder's choice hit to the shortstop by
Lisa Cardogan put Binghamton out in front, 1-0. Clark hit Phillips
with a pitch to again load the bases for the Bearcats and Chaffee
took advantage, driving in a run with a single to right. A
sacrifice to left on the next at bat from King put BU on top,
3-0.
The Retrievers got one back in the bottom of the first, as
O'Malley and Hall each recorded one-out singles to put
runners on first and second. Junior first baseman Chelsea
Bertoglio (Laguna Hills, Calif./Laguna Hills/Saddleback
College) reached on a fielding error by the shortstop and scored
O'Malley from third.
UMBC registered just four more hits in the contest, opening the
doors for the league's top-ranked hitting squad to take
advantage of the opportunity. The Bearcats finished the contest
with 11 hits.
Clark (1-4) surrendered eight earned runs on seven hits, while
Ionata allowed four earned runs on four hits in relief. Rhoda
Marsteller (6-2) earned the victory, allowing one unearned and
striking out six batters.
