BALTIMORE – UMBC softball returns to action for a midweek contest against Georgetown on Wednesday, April 9. Game time is set for 2:30 p.m. at the UMBC Softball Stadium.
The Retrievers (22-14, 0-5 AEC) dropped a three-game series for the first time this season over the weekend in America East action at Binghamton. UMBC, which has stranded 29 runners on base over the last five games, continued to struggle for the timely hit over the weekend. Sophomore utility player Danielle O'Neill (Lothian, Md./Southern) is coming off a two-home run effort on the final day of the series, while junior catcher Taylor Hall (Cosby, Va./Cosby) homered for her 150th career hit on Sunday.
Hall is hitting a team-best .407 on the season, with 19 extra-base hits and 35 runs batted in. O'Neill ranks only behind Hall in on-base percentage (.424), having walked a team-best 25 times. Senior first baseman Chelsea Bertoglio (Laguna Hills, Calif./Laguna Hills/Saddleback College) ranks second on the team in batting average (.329) and runs batted in (24). Freshman third baseman Kaelin Jackson (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional) is batting .293 in her rookie season, with seven doubles, two triples and 14 runs batted in.
In the circle, freshman Jessica Holte (Ashland, Va./Atlee) has tallied 13 wins, the most wins for a UMBC pitcher since 2011 when Stephanie Weigman recorded 16 wins. Holte has a 1.95 earned run average and is holding opponents to a team-low .263 batting average. Freshman Nicole Casagrand (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) has posted a 4-2 record in 12 appearances.
Georgetown (17-15, 7-2 BIG EAST) dropped two-of-three against St. John's in BIG EAST action over the weekend. Junior Megan Hyson and senior Elyse Graziano are each batting above .300 for the season. Hyson's .394 average and 23 runs batted in each lead the team. Graziano is hitting at a .314 clip and has a .403 on-base percentage, with a team-best 12 stolen bases.
In the circle, Hyson has accounted for nine of the team's victories and has fanned 124 batters on the season. Hyson has four shutouts and 15 complete games on the campaign. Junior Lauren O'Leary has posted an 8-7 record, including three shutouts in 2014.
