Albany, N.Y. -- For the first time this season, the UMBC Softball team (13-7, 2-1 AE) will hit the road for an America East series, as they travel to UAlbany (11-14, 2-4 AE) for a three-game set beginning on Saturday.
Coincidentally, the last time the Retrievers had a road America East series was April 27-28, 2019 at UAlbany. The Great Danes took two of three, after winning the final game of the series, 1-0, in 11 innings. UMBC, however, would then win six of its next seven en route to the America East championship.
Last time out, sophomore third baseman Shanel Stott (Cumberland, Md./Allegany) ripped a two-out single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to break up a scoreless tie and give UMBC a 1-0 extra-inning win over Binghamton to take the America East Conference series, two games to one.
The teams played a non-conference game in the nightcap of the doubleheader and the Bearcats triumphed, 4-2.
In the ninth, freshman first baseman Ashley Della Guardia (Phoenixville, Pa.) singled to left field and advanced to second as centerfielder Sierra Pierce (Youngstown, Ohio) ripped a single off the left field fence. After a fly out, both runners moved up a base on a ground out to second base. Then, Stott pulled reliever Rayn Gibson's pitch over the left fielder's head to score Della Guardia with the game's lone run.
UMBC sophomore pitcher Courtney Coppersmith (York, Pa.) was brilliant, fanning 16 Bearcat hitters and allowing only three hits and no walks in nine innings. The 16 strikeouts is one shy of her career high, set twice in the 2019 campaign. She also went on to earn her fourth America East Pitcher of the Week honor of the season, after she allowed just one earned run in 20 innings of work on only seven hits, while striking out 33 hitters and walking none. She went 1-1 with a save in the series.
Scouting UAlbany:
The Great Danes are coming off a four-game road sweep at Delaware State last weekend. Sophomore outfielder Caitlyn Mitros has a team-high .390 batting average, while Kelly Barkevich and Morgan Petty each have hit seven homers so far this season. Madison Petrella is hitting .338 with four home runs and a team-best 24 RBI.
In the circle, Wendi Hammond is 3-3 with a team-best 4.30 ERA. Maranda Jimenez is 4-5 with a 5.17 ERA, while Briana Garrett is 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA.
First pitch for Saturday's double-header is set for 1 p.m., while Sunday's single game is slated to begin at noon.
