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News Release

DENISCHUK, SHIRK NAMED CO-MVPS, KEARNS TABBED MOST OUTSTANDING PITCHER OF UMBC DAWG POUND TOURNAMENT

3/13/2006

Krista Kearns was 3-0 with a 1.14 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 12.1 innings at the UMBC Dawg Pound Tournament.

Baltimore, Md.-First baseman Melanie Denischuk and center fielder Kali Shirk were named co-MVPs of the Second Annual UMBC Dawg Pound Tournament, and freshman Krista Kearns was tabbed Most Outstanding Pitcher. In all, six Retrievers were named to the all-tournament team, which was announced Monday.

In the six games on the weekend, Denischuk hit .562 (9-for-16) with four runs scored, two home runs, 11 RBI and 16 total bases. She held a 1.000 slugging percentage and reached base at a .579 clip, and she drove in the game-winning run with a double in the championship game against St. Francis (Pa.)

Shirk led the Retrievers with 10 hits and 11 runs scored on the weekend, as she hit .476 (10-for-21) and posted two doubles, two home runs, 18 total bases and four RBI. She also stole five bases, held an .857 slugging percentage and a .476 on-base average.

Kearns won three games and posted a stellar 1.14 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 12.1 innings, as she allowed only two runs on eight hits and two walks. She took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against Vermont and allowed just two hits in the game. Kearns also went 5-for-9 (.562) with a pinch-hit home run, two runs scored and two RBI at the plate.

Other Retrievers on the all-tournament team were third baseman Reilly Ward, who hit two home runs, scored twice and drove in eight, and also stole two bases on the weekend; second baseman Ashlea Underwood, who hit .333 with a home run and three RBI and a .467 on-base percentage; and senior Lauren Nicholson, who was 1-0 in the circle with a 2.03 ERA in 10.1 innings. Nicholson allowed just three runs and walked three while striking out 11 while facing tournament runner-up St. Francis (Pa.) twice.

Other all-tournament honorees were Kelly Slingwine, Kara Stroup, Angela Rocco and Nicole Bender from St. Francis; Tracy Javier, Nayrobi Nicholas and Jennifer Bien-Aime from Howard; Kate Haber, Whitney Borisenok and Aimee Kern from Vermont; and Kendra Saunders from UMES.

UMBC won the Dawg Pound Tournament with a perfect 6-0 record on the weekend. St. Francis (Pa.) was the runner-up at 4-2. Vermont and Howard were both 2-3, and UMES was 0-5.

The Retrievers return to action Tuesday, March 14, when they head to Camden, N.J., to take on LaSalle in a doubleheader at the Rutgers-Camden Community Park.

UMBC Dawg Pound Tournament All-Tournament Team

Co-MVP: Melanie Denischuk, UMBC
Co-MVP: Kali Shirk, UMBC
Most Outstanding Pitcher: Krista Kearns, UMBC

Nichole Bender, St. Francis (Pa.)
Jennifer Bien-Aime, Howard
Whitney Borisenok, Vermont
Melanie Denischuk, UMBC
Kate Haber, Vermont
Tracy Javier, Howard
Krista Kearns, UMBC
Aimee Kern, Vermont
Nayrobi Nicholas, Howard
Lauren Nicholson, UMBC
Angela Rocco, St. Francis (Pa.)
Kendra Saunders, UMES
Kali Shirk, UMBC
Kelly Slingwine, St. Francis (Pa.)
Kara Stroup, St. Francis (Pa.)
Ashlea Underwood, UMBC
Reilly Ward, UMBC