Baltimore, Md.— Freshman left fielder Morgan Peyou (Mercer Island, Wash./Mercer Island) went 4-for-6 on the day, driving in two runs and scoring one of her own, as the UMBC Softball team split games with Morgan State and Marist on the second day of the UMBC Dawg Pound Invitational.

Sophomore first baseman Carly Lesko (New Milford,N.J./New Milford) also drove in two runs, including the tie-breaking double in a 3-2 win over Morgan State (4-14) in the first game of the day. UMBC (9-13) would then fall to Marist (10-4) in the final game of the day by a score of 4-1.

Game 1

The first game of the day was a pitcher's duel as Morgan State would take a 2-0 lead in the second, but the Retrievers used a two-out rally in the third to tie the game. After the first two batters of the inning got out, freshman right fielder Nicole Shavlik (Woodinville, Wash./Woodinville) would bunt for a single, followed by sophomore center fielder Tori Alexander (Woodbridge,Va./Woodbridge Senior) doubling down the left field line. With the runners at second and third, Peyou would slap a single that drove in both runners and tied the game at two, which it would remain until the bottom of the sixth.

Peyou led off the sixth with a slap-single to left, and would score all the way from first on a Lesko double into the left field corner. The Bears would not go quietly, however, as the leadoff batter, Danielle Pitpit, would single to begin the seventh, but the UMBC defense would save the day. With the Pitpit on first and none out, Kate Vosper laid down a sacrifice bunt that junior third baseman Kaelin Jackson (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional) charged and threw to second baseman Jaclyn Buckley (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Camden Regional) covering first base for the out. Pitpit made a wide turn at second and tried to dive back to the base, but Buckley quickly threw to shortstop Bridget O'Malley (Baltimore, Md./Seton Keough) covering second to double-off Pitpt for the unusual double-play.

Morgan State would get a two-out single, but O'Malley would make a great play to charge a slow chopper and throw to first to just beat the runner and record the final out of the game. Junior Jessica Holte (Ashland, Va./Atlee) pitched a complete-game to improve her record to 4-5. The lefty allowed just the two runs, both earned, on six hits, struck out two and walked one.

"I thought that was the best game Holte has had all season," head coach Joe French said.

Game 2

Marist would jump out to a 3-0 lead by the middle of the third inning, but Lesko would bring in Alexander with a single up the middle to cut the deficit to two. Junior pitcher Nicole Casagrand (Melbourne, Fla./Hatboro-Horsham) got the start and would keep the Retrievers within striking distance throughout, but the Red Fox starter Jayne Oberdorf shut down UMBC the rest of the way for a 4-1 win. Casagrand pitched all seven innings, scattering ten hits, walking one and striking out four. Peyou went 2-for-3, while Alexander, Lesko, Shavlik, Danielle O'Neill (Lothian, Md./Southern) and Chelsie Delperuto (Syracuse, N.Y./Solvay) all added hits of their own.

Due to the expected rain overnight, the schedule for Sunday has been altered:

12 p.m. - Mount St. Mary's vs Marist

2:15 p.m. – UMBC vs Coppin State

4:30 p.m. – UMBC vs Mount St. Mary's