College Park, Md.-- The UMBC Softball team rallied from multiple run deficits in both games of the Maryland Invite before ultimately falling twice on Thursday. The Retrievers rallied to tie from four runs down against Rhode Island and two runs down against host Maryland, but fell 5-4 and 9-2, respectively.  

In the opener, a fourth inning error allowed UMBC (6-10) to cut into the against Rhode Island (7-10)  and make it 4-1. Valerie Hammett (Mechanicsville, Md.) then had a two RBI single to score Sierra Pierce (Youngstown, Ohio) and Logan Hawker (Mechanicsville, Va.) and make it a one run game.

Pierce then laced an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to score Maddie Daigneau (New River, Ariz.) and tie the game. The Rams, however, would get a solo home run in the top of the seventh to retake the lead and eventually win, 5-4. Daigneau went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Pierce and Hammett each had two RBI, while Julia Keffler (Huntingtown, Md.) had the other hit for the Retrievers.

Gillian McCarthy (Northfield, N.J.) got the start and went 4.1 innings allowing four earned runs and got a no decision. Courtney Coppersmith (York, Pa.) entered with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth and got two strikeouts to end the threat, but took the loss after allowing the solo homer in the seventh.

Against Maryland (14-11), the Retrievers once again rallied in the fourth inning to tie the game after Noelani Herrera (Arnold, Md.) scored on a wild pitch and then Anna Lonchar (Bristow, Va.) singled to bring in Hammett and tie the game at two. The Terps would then score seven unanswered runs the rest of the way to take the game. Lonchar, Hammett and Hawker had UMBC's three hits in the game, with Hammett's hit being a double.

The Retriever softball team is off on Friday, but will host Bryant on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and then return to College Park to face Villanova on Sunday at 3 p.m.