UMBC

Reilly Ward hit two home runs on the day and is now second all-time in UMBC history with 23 in her career.

Baltimore, Md.-The Retrievers (28-8) hit four home runs in two games, including two by third baseman Reilly Ward (Olney, Md./Sherwood), en route to a doubleheader sweep of Brown (8-16) by scores of 5-0 and 7-4 Thursday afternoon at UMBC Softball Stadium. The four homers give the team 44 on the season, a new UMBC record, breaking the previous mark of 42, which was set in 2005.

With two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the first inning, first baseman Melanie Denischuk (Poway, Calif./Hugh Sutherland (Carstairs, Alberta)/Indian River CC/Auburn) hit her 12th home run of the season to give the Retrievers an early 1-0 lead. Denischuk is now tied for second-most home runs in a single season, just three behind Lauren Hebb’s 15 for most all-time.

Ward hit the first of her two homers on the day with two outs and no one on base in the third, and the Retrievers added two more in the fifth. Left fielder Carla O’Rourke (Endicott, N.Y./Union Endicott) doubled with one out and center fielder Courtney O’Hara (Pasadena, Md./Institute of Notre Dame) and Denischuk walked to load the bases. With two outs, shortstop Dana Shepherd (Columbia, Md./Oakland Mills) singled to drive in two runs and put the Retrievers ahead, 4-0.

An error and two singles loaded the bases for UMBC with one out in the sixth, and Ward hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the Retrievers’ fifth and final run of the game for the 5-0 victory.

UMBC starter Krista Kearns (Santa Fe Springs, Calif./Santa Fe) pitched brilliantly, allowing just four hits and a walk while striking out seven in the seven-inning complete game shutout, her fourth of the season. She picked up the victory and improved to 8-2.

Kristen Schindler suffered the loss for Brown, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and five walks while striking out one in five innings. Heather Garrison pitched the sixth for the Bears and gave up one unearned run on two hits.

O’Rourke went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Ward was 1-for-3 with a run and two RBI.

Brown struck first in game two, scoring one run without the aid of a hit. Leadoff hitter Mary Seid was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Jaimie Wirkowski walked, Kelsey Wilson reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Seid, but a throwing error by Ward put runners at second and third. UMBC starter Brittany Boyd (Baltimore, Md./North County/East Carolina) then threw a wild pitch which allowed Wirkowski to score for the 1-0 lead.

But the Retrievers got it back and added another in the bottom of the first but stranded the bases loaded. Center fielder Kali Shirk (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) led off the inning with a single and stole her 32nd base of the season, and Denischuk walked. Shepherd then singled to plate Shirk and catcher Jessica Griffith (Linthicum, Md./Glen Burnie/Anne Arundel CC) walked to load the bases before designated player Heather Bennett (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) hit into a fielder’s choice to drive in Denischuk.

UMBC added another in the second on a hit and two errors by the Brown defense, as O’Rourke reached on an error, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Shirk and scored on Denischuk’s two-out RBI single for the 3-1 lead.

The Retrievers tacked on one more in the fifth, as Shepherd led off the inning with a single, Griffith reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a single by second baseman Ashlea Underwood (Visalia, Calif./Central Valley Christian/Reedley JC).

In the bottom of the sixth, UMBC added what turned out to be three very key insurance runs. Ward hit her second home run of the day with one out and Denischuk singled before Shepherd knocked one out of the park as well to put the Retrievers ahead, 7-1.

UMBC’s defense fell apart in the top of the seventh, committing three errors which led to three unearned runs as the Bears pulled to within three at 7-4, but they stranded runners at second and third to end the game.

Boyd (6-0) picked up the win, as she allowed four unearned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out one in the seven-inning complete game. Michelle Moses suffered the loss for Brown, allowing seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and three walks while striking out four in the six-inning complete game.

Shepherd went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI for the Retrievers, while Denischuk was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI and Underwood was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

In the two games, Shepherd was 4-for-7 with four RBI and a run scored, while Denischuk was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, two RBI and three walks. Denischuk now has 50 RBI on the season, tied for the third-highest single-season total in UMBC history.

Ward hit two home runs, accounting for both of her hits on the day. She now has 23 homers in her career, passing Taryn McDonald for second place all-time in UMBC history.

The Retrievers return to action this weekend, as they head to West Hartford, Conn., to open America East Conference play. Saturday’s game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m., while Sunday’s game will begin at 12 p.m.