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News Release

UMBC SOFTBALL HOLDS ON FOR 6-5 WIN OVER STONY BROOK

5/2/2004

Baltimore, Md. – Junior Kristie Pickeral (Hughesville, Md./Thomas Stone) blasted a two-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 4-4 tie, and Retriever pitcher Lauren Nicholson (Audubon, N.J./Paul VI) struck out the final batter with the bases loaded to lead UMBC (25-31, 3-14 AEC) to a 6-5 win over league foe Stony Brook (27-28, 11-6 AEC) this afternoon at the UMBC Softball Stadium. The Seawolves, unable to complete the sweep, still won the series, 2-1.

Today’s game went back and forth, with Stony Brook taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning behind RBI’s from Hayley Durham and Colleen McCarthy. UMBC cut the deficit in half in the second on freshman Kelly Claar’s (Federal Way, Wash./Decatur) single, which scored classmate Reilly Ward (Olney, Md./Sherwood). The Retrievers then took a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Stony Brook starter Angela Andrews walked two batters with the bases loaded. UMBC would tack on another run in the fourth as Seawolves’ reliever Christina Voth walked another batter with the bases loaded.

Stony Brook came back to tie the game in the fifth when Jane Stein tripled in Laura Bradford, and later scored on a double by Hayley Durham. UMBC would again take the lead on Pickeral’s tenth homerun of the season, a shot over the left-centerfield fence.

The Seawolves threatened in the top of the seventh as they loaded the bases and Nicholson walked Durham to plate Marissa Servello with just one out. However, Nicholson got Colleen McCarthy to pop out, and struck out pinch hitter Jackie Anderson, allowing UMBC to hold on to the 6-5 win. Nicholson improved to 10-10 as she allowed five runs on seven hits while walking six and striking out five.

The Retriever win was the 400^th victory in the UMBC softball program’s history.

UMBC returns to action on Thursday, May 6, when they host Drexel for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.