PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – UMBC softball's freshman pitcher Kelly Lane (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central) tossed the Retrievers' first perfect game, as the rookie led UMBC to a 13-0 five inning victory in game two of a doubleheader against UMES. The Retrievers defeated the Hawks, 7-4, in game one on Saturday afternoon at Hawks Field.

"Kelly's fastball was explosive today," head coach Joe French said. "She had all her pitches working and never went to three balls on a batter. She pitched a dominating masterpiece."

Senior Chelsea Bertoglio (Laguna Hills, Calif./Laguna Hills/Saddleback College) finished with the day with seven RBI and two of her three hits going for extra bases. Junior Taylor Hall (Cosby, Va./Cosby) tallied five hits on six at bats on the day and added three runs batted in, while freshman Kaelin Jackson (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional) add four RBI. 

The Retrievers' continue their best start since 2010 and match last season's win total with an 11-3 overall mark, while UMES falls to 2-14.  

UMBC's offense continued where it left off last weekend, starting with two runs on three hits and a walk in the top of the first inning of game one. UMES strung together five straight hits in the bottom half of the inning to cut their deficit to one, 2-1.

The Retrievers' three-run third inning proved to be the difference in the matchup. Sophomore Bridget O'Malley (Brooklyn, Md./Seton Keough) and Hall each opened the third inning with singles and Bertoglio loaded the bases with a walk. Jackson took advantage, driving in a pair of runs on a double to center field and classmate Jaclyn Buckley (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Camden Regional) added a sacrifice fly to extend the advantage to 5-1.

O'Malley and Bertoglio each doubled in the top of the fourth, helping to score a pair of unearned runs in the inning and giving the Retrievers a six-run lead, but UMBC gave back both runs in the bottom half of the frame, when the Hawks capitalized on a pair of errors.

The Retrievers surrendered another unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but freshman Jessica Holte (Ashland, Va./Atlee) remained unbeaten with her seventh complete game victory. Holte allowed 11 hits, but surrendered just one earned run and struck out four batters.

The Retrievers started off game two in much of the same that it did game one, this time driving in five runs in the opening frame. Sophomore Danielle O'Neill (Lothian, Md./Southern) led off with a walk and Hall blasted her team-leading fourth home run of the season. Bertoglio drew a walk and following a wild pitch that put Bertoglio on second, senior Caitlin Chance (Easton, Md./Easton) drove her in with a double to give the Retrievers a three-run lead.

UMBC was not done yet, Jackson and Buckley each chipped in RBI-singles in the inning to extend the lead to 5-0.

O'Malley scored for the third time on the day in the second inning, when her bunt single was followed by a double to left center from junior Kathleen Sharp (Smithsburg, Md./Smithsburg). Bertoglio added in on the action, driving in a run with a single to left field, to add to the advantage, 7-0.

The Retrievers added six runs in the third, opening the frame with back-to-back singles from Lane and Buckley. O'Neill added her second hit of the day to load the bases and O'Malley's walk drove in the inning's first run. Hall added her second double of the contest to drive in two runs and Bertoglio took care of the rest, clearing the bases with a three-run blast.

Lane fanned 10 batters in the perfect game.

The Retrievers continue action at Hawks Field, taking on UMES in a doubleheader on Sunday, March 9, starting at noon.

Game Notes
-Taylor Hall moved into a tie for ninth place on UMBC's all-time home run list, with 19 for her career.