Emily Thompson tied the game against Niagara with her first home run of the season.

BALTIMORE—Senior right fielder Emily Thompson (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) hit a game-tying home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh, and junior second baseman Lauren Brummell (Hanover, Va./Hanover) drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the eighth to propel the UMBC softball team (12-4) to a 6-5 victory over Niagara on the first day of the UMBC Spring Classic. Earlier in the morning, the Retrievers fell to Saint Joseph’s, 7-3.

Saint Joseph’s 7, UMBC 3

The Hawks (10-8) scored two runs in each of the first three innings, getting a home run in each frame.

With two outs in the second and the Retrievers trailing, 4-0, junior center fielder Julia Culotta (Street, Md./North Harford/Tennessee) lifted her first home run of the season over the left field fence.

But Saint Joseph’s catcher Brooke Darreff hit a two-run shot in the third and an RBI single in the fourth to make it 7-1.

UMBC got a pair back in the fifth on RBI singles by senior shortstop Jessica Vetock (Pasadena, Md./Institute of Notre Dame/CCBC-Catonsville) and senior third baseman Amanda Fefel (Baltimore, Md./Catonsville), but the last seven Retrievers went down in order.

Freshman Heather Brown (Pasadena, Md./Northeast) allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in the complete-game loss. Taryn Ashway earned the victory for the Hawks after allowing three runs on five hits in four innings. Erin Gallagher pitched three scoreless one-hit frames in relief.

Culotta and Brown paced the Retrievers at the plate with two hits apiece. Darreff and right fielder Taylor Korpita also had a pair of hits for Saint Joseph’s.

UMBC 6, Niagara 5 (8 innings)

The Retrievers struck first, loading the bases with two outs in the first for Culotta, who walked to give UMBC an early 1-0 lead.

Niagara went on top, 2-1, in the third on an RBI single by second baseman Teresa Healy and a steal of home by left fielder Kristin Sito. The Purple Eagles made it 3-1 in the sixth on a solo homer by center fielder Jenna Baker.

UMBC got the run back in the bottom of the inning on Vetock’s second RBI single of the day, but Healy’s RBI single in the top of the seventh made it a 4-2 game.

In the bottom of the frame, junior first baseman Malorie Weller (Round Hill, Va./Loudoun Valley/Kennesaw State) led off with a base hit but was erased on Fefel’s fielder’s choice, setting the stage for Thompson’s heroics. The two-run shot was the right fielder’s first of the season.

Under international tie-breaker rules, a runner was placed on second base in the eighth inning, and after a sacrifice bunt and a walk, Niagara used a double steal of second and home to take a 5-4 lead.

But the Retrievers responded in the bottom of the inning yet again. Culotta, who was placed on second to start the frame, advanced to third on a single by senior catcher Amanda Page (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia/Monroe CC) and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. With Page on second, Brummell singled past the second baseman to drive in the winning run.

Junior Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) allowed five runs (two earned) and struck out seven, going the distance in the victory to improve to 7-1 on the season. Cassie Stone suffered the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in 2.2 innings in relief. Julie DiMatteo tossed the first five frames, giving up one run on six hits.

Page led the Retrievers with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate, while Kill had three of Niagara’s seven hits.

In other UMBC Spring Classic action on Friday, Niagara beat Saint Joseph’s, 9-2, Delaware defeated Georgetown, 1-0, and Delaware took out Lehigh, 11-2, in five innings.

Action resumes Saturday at 8:45 a.m. when Lehigh takes on Niagara. The Retrievers’ only game of the day is against Delaware at 12:35 p.m.