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Softball Drops Doubleheader to UMBC
May 3, 2008
ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine softball team dropped both games of its doubleheader on Saturday to UMBC at Mike Kessock Field in Orono. The Black Bears fell in the first game by a 3-2 count and dropped the second game by a score of 6-2. Maine fell to 11-38 on the season and 10-10 in America East, while UMBC improved to 23-27 and 11-9 in the league. In the day's first game, UMBC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on solo home runs by Dana Shepherd and Ashley Gray. Maine came back and tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning on a two-run homer by Terren Hall to straight-away center field. Alexis Souhlaris led off the inning with a triple and came around to score as Hall launched UMBC pitcher Stephanie Weigman's fastball over over the 220-foot sign in center field. The Retrievers got a run back in the sixth which proved to be the game winner. Shepherd walked to lead off the inning and came across home plate later in the frame on an error by Hall at third base. Weigman held the Black Bears scoreless over the final two frames to nail down the win for UMBC. Jenna Balent got the start in the pitching circle for Maine and suffered the loss which halted her two-game winning streak. Balent worked all seven innings, but yielded all three runs -- two earned -- on five hits. She struck out five and walked a pair of Retriever batters. Souhlaris had a pair of hits in the contest as she also doubled to accompany her triple.
The day's second game got off to the same start as the first, as UMBC again jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first inning. Kali Shirk led off the game with a solo shot to left field, and Emily Thompson doubled home Shepherd to stake the Retrievers to the early advantage.
UMBC tacked on a pair of runs in the third for a 4-0 lead as Lauren Brummell and Lynn Pronobis each collected RBIs in the frame. The Black Bears got on the board in the bottom half of the inning as Whitney Spangler singled up the middle to begin the frame and scored later in the inning on a passed ball by Shirk. The Retrievers plated a run in both the fifth and sixth innings to open up a 6-1 advantage. Maine tried to claw back in the bottom of the sixth as Stephanie George ripped a solo home run to left field to pull the Black Bears to within 6-2. However, Maine could not score the rest of the way and suffered the setback. Balent, again, got the start in the pitching circle and suffered the loss after going 2.1 innings, yielding four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. Ashley Waters had a pair of hits in the contest for Maine. Maine and UMBC will close out their three-game series on Sunday with the series and regular season finale at 11 a.m., at Mike Kessock Field in Orono. Admission is free for all home games at Kessock Field. |
