Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Lowell, Mass. -- Courtney Coppersmith (York, Pa.) walked the first batter of the game and then had no problems, retiring the next 21, 17 of which came on strikeouts, and threw her first no-hitter this season as UMBC (16-9, 5-3 AE) topped UMass Lowell 5-0 in the opener of a road doubleheader Saturday.
UMass Lowell (9-10, 5-3 AE) rebounded for a 4-1 victory in the nightcap to earn a split. For Coppersmith, this was her sixth career no-hitter. That first-inning walk was the lone blemish as she completely dominated the River Hawks.
She threw six no-hitters two years ago and none in the brief pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. Coppersmith improved to 11-2 this season and faced the minimum 21 batters. Also, she threw 62 strikes on 91 pitches to beat Lovina Coprina (2-4), who also went the distance. Coppersmith went 1-for-3 at the plate, but the Retrievers didn't need her help there. Her teammates gave the pitcher plenty of offensive help in this one. The Retrievers took an early lead and never looked back.
UMBC scored twice in the top of the second, thanks to an
Anna Lonchar (Bristow, Va.) single and a sacrifice fly from
Meghan Dempsey (Collegeville, Pa.). The Retrievers added one more in the third when
Sierra Pierce (Youngstown, Ohio) hit a sacrifice fly. In the fifth, the Retrievers made it 4-0 on a throwing error before closing out the scoring on a
Julia Keffler (Huntingtown, Md.) ground-out.
The River Hawks took charge early in game two against
Madie Leach (3-3), who also went the distance. They scored two runs in the first and one in the second for a quick 3-0 lead and never looked back.
Maddie Daigneau (New River, Ariz.) drove in UMBC's only run, on a fielder's choice, in the fourth but couldn't do any more. Ryley White (6-2) went 4 1/3 innings and earned the victory while Chelsea Runyon went the final 2 2/3 for her first save.
The two teams close out the weekend series Sunday at noon.
