America East Release
BALTIMORE – UMBC softball steps out of America East action on Tuesday, April 22 when it hosts La Salle for a doubleheader. First pitch has been moved to 2 p.m. at the UMBC Softball Stadium.
The Retrievers (27-16, 5-6 AEC) picked up a critical series sweep in America East action against UMass Lowell over the weekend. UMBC received some offense from all over its lineup, including a .571 batting average and four runs batted in from junior Taylor Hall (Cosby, Va./Cosby). The catcher has reached base safely in seven straight games and has moved into UMBC's top-ten in a single-season in home runs (11). Sophomore Bridget O'Malley (Brooklyn, Md./Seton Keough) had a big Saturday, picking up the walk-off home run, her second blast of the day, with two on, two outs and a full count to give the Retrievers a 7-5 come-from-behind victory. O'Malley is third on the team in extra-base hits, with six doubles, one triple and four home runs.
Freshman Jessica Holte (Ashland, Va./Atlee) earned America East Rookie of the Week honors after posting a 2-0 week in the circle for the Retrievers, to move into the top-10 at UMBC in single-season victories (16). The rookie is coming off a season-best nine-strikeout performance against UMass Lowell on Sunday. Classmate Kelly Lane (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central) picked up the third win of the weekend for the Retrievers. She owns a 7-6 overall record in her 16 apperances.
La Salle (17-15, 9-3 A-10) took three-of-four in Atlantic 10 action last week at West Campus Field. The Explorers are batting .260 as a team, led by senior Megan Hodgson's .330 batting average and .456 on-base percentage. Hodgson has posted 14 extra-base hits, including a team-best eight home runs, and leads the squad with 19 walks. Freshman Suzanne Swanicke is hitting at a .330 clip and has posted a team-best 10 doubles. Junior Alicia Aughton has posted an 11-7 mark in the circle with a 1.57 earned run average.
