Lowell, Mass. – UMBC and UMass Lowell split a doubleheader on Friday in windy conditions at River View Field. The Retrievers captured the opener, 3-2, but fell in the nightcap, 3-2, in 11 innings.

The Retrievers are now 14-10 overall and 6-1 in America East play, while UML is 13-19-1, 3-4.

 GAME 1 – HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Retrievers loaded the bases in the top of the second with two outs, but could not break the seal on the game.
• Evix and Della Guardia smacked two-out singles to left field, but are left stranded in the top of the third.
• The River Hawks broke on top with a pair of runs (solo home run, RBI double) in the bottom of the third inning.  
• UMBC hit into some tough luck in the fourth. After Jerzie Nutile got to second with no outs, Courtney Coppersmith and Macy Granzow both stung balls that River Hawk fielders snared.
• In the bottom of the inning, UML got the first two hitters on base, but a 5-3 (Emily Riggs to Della Guardia) double play helped erase the threat.
• The Retrievers broke through in the top of the fifth. Wilson drilled a two-out, two-RBI double to the left-center field gap, scoring Evix and Della Guardia and advanced to third base on the throw home. On a two-strike offering, Nutile dropped a single just in front of the left fielder to plate Wilson and give the visitors a 3-2 lead.  
• Coppersmith entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and fanned the 1-2-3 River Hawk hitters to earn the save.

GAME 1 NOTES

• Matter picked up the win, improving to 8-3 on the year. Coppersmith picked up her second save of the season and school-record 11th of her career.
• Evix went 3-for-4 and Della Guardia was 2-for-4, collecting five of UMBC's seven hits.
• UMBC extended its winning streak to six and the win was the fifth in a row in which the Retrievers came back from a deficit to triumph.    

GAME 2 – HOW IT HAPPENED

• Coppersmith fanned the same three River Hawk batters in the bottom of the first and retired the first eight batters before allowing a base hit.
• UMBC took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. With one out, Della Guardia and Wilson singled. UML forced Wilson on Nutile's ground ball up the middle, but the throw to first was wild, allowing Della Guardia to score from second base.
• The River Hawks tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. A walk, wild pitch, passed ball and infield single knotted the score at 1-1.
• UMass Lowell had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth, getting the first two batters on base. But Coppersmith fielded a bunt and forced the lead runner at third base, then fanned the next two hitters to get out of the jam.
• Wilson drove in her third run of the day with two outs in the top of the eighth. Her opposite field double scored Della Guardia and gave UMBC a 2-1 lead.
• After Coppersmith struck out the first batter in the bottom of the eighth, UML's Elizabeth Frederick hit her second opposite field home run of the day and re-tied the game at 2-2.
• Matter entered the game in the 11th inning. She sandwiched a pair of outs around a UML single. But the River Hawk base-runner stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. With two outs, she scored on single to left field.  

GAME 2 NOTES

• Wilson and Macy Granzow collected three hits apiece, while Evix and Della Guardia each collected two.
• UMBC outhit UML, 12-7, but stranded 11 base runners.
• Coppersmith fanned 15 batters in 10 innings and struck out 18 in her 11 innings of work on the day.
• UMBC was not charged with an error in 18 innings of softball.  

The two teams conclude the series on Saturday at noon.