Baltimore, MD – Freshman Maddie Daigneau (New River, Ariz. / Boulder Creek) went 5-for-7 on the day, while Chelsie Delperuto (Syracuse, N.Y./Solvay) went 2-for-3 as the UMBC Softball team earned a split with Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday in the first day of the UMBC Retriever Classic.

After dropping the first game, 3-0, the Retrievers took the second game, 5-0. Junior Tori Alexander (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge Senior) went 3-for-3 with three stolen bases and two runs scored, while classmate Carly Lesko (New Milford, N.J. / New Milford) drove in two runs Junior Kim Puccio (Sparta, N.J. /Sparta) went five scoreless innings to notch her third win of the year, while senior Jessica Holte (Ashland, Va. / Atlee) went the last two innings to earn her first save of the season.

GAME 1:

The Retrievers (7-15) and Maryland Eastern Shore (2-9) went the scoreless through the first three innings.  The Hawks took a one-run advantage in the top of the 4th after a fielding error by UMBC.  The Hawks tacked on two more runs in the 6th inning.

Daigneau led the team in hits, going 3-for-4 with two doubles.  Senior Nicole Casagrand (Melbourne, Fla. / Hatboro-Horsham) went 5.1 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) and struck out six batters.  Puccio went 1.2 innings in relief, giving up no hits and striking out two.

GAME 2:

The Retrievers used stellar defense to open the game as senior right fielder Kelly Lane (Albany, N.Y. / Colonie Central) caught a fly ball and then mowed down a runner at home trying tag up from third. Lane then drove in the game's first run on a groundout, driving in Daigneau in the bottom of the first.

Both teams went scoreless until the bottom half of the 4th inning where Lesko notched an RBI groundout.  The Retrievers put together a rally in the 6th inning scoring three runs to make it 5-0. Alexander started the inning off with a single and stole second. Then Lesko drove her in with a single to right field.  followed by classmate Toni Santonastasso (Cannonsburg, Pa. / Pope John XXIII Regional) hitting a single to put two on. After a sacrifice bunt, pinch runner sShayna Rider (Westminster, Md. / Delone Catholic) scored on a passed ball, and Santonastasso scored when sophomore Chelsie Delperuto (Syracuse, N.Y. / Solvay) singled.

 Puccio allowed just four hits and struck out three, while Holte allowed one hit and struck out two.

The Retrievers will return to action tomorrow when they take on the Rider University Broncs in for two games at 12 PM and 2:30 PM.