Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Baltimore, Md. – Freshman pitcher Brianna Baker (Waldorf, Md./North Point) led the UMBC softball team (9-27, 4-8 AE) to a 7-0 victory over the defending America East Champion Albany Great Danes. Baker threw a complete game shutout, allowing six hits and striking out two batters.
Also in the game, senior Tori Alexander (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge Senior) recorded her 200th career hit as part of the team's five-run fifth inning, when she doubled to drive in freshman Sierra Pierce (Youngstown, Ohio/Jackson-Milton).
Game One:
Albany (20-13, 8-4) got out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first three innings, including scoring four runs in the second inning.
The lone run scored by UMBC in the game was when senior Carly Lesko (New Milford, N.J/New Milford) singled down the right field line. The hit drove in sophomore Maddie Daigneau (New River, Ariz./Boulder Creek), and moved Valerie Hammett (Mechanicsville, Md./Chopticon) to third. Albany scored three more runs in the final two innings to push the lead to eight and end the game after five.
Game Two:
UMBC got off to a hot start in the second game, scoring two runs in the first inning thanks to a leadoff single by Alexander, back-to-back walks from senior Erin Trnka (Goffstown, N.H./Goffstown) and Daigneau, and then back-to-back RBI groundouts from Hammett and Lesko.
Both offenses remained quiet from the second inning through the top of the fifth, scoring no runs until UMBC put together a rally in the bottom half of the fifth. Sophomore Kennedy Lamb and junior Shayna Rider led the inning off with two straight infield singles.
Alexander then followed it up with her 200th career hit, a double down the left field line to score pinch runner Pierce. Trnka then bunted for a hit to drive in Rider, which was followed by an RBI groundout by Daigneau. Freshman Imani Dawson capped off the inning with a two-run single to center field to score Lesko and Trnka.
Baker then tossed two perfect innings to finish off game to earn her first career victory.
UMBC will return to action tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 PM, when they will celebrate their six seniors in their final game at UMBC Softball Stadium.
