UMBC

Dana Shepherd hit a grand slam and went 6-for-10 with four runs scored and five RBI in the series.

West Hartford, Conn.-Shortstop Dana Shepherd’s grand slam in the third ignited a five-run inning as the UMBC softball team (30-9, 2-1 AEC) defeated America East foe Hartford, 13-1, in five innings Sunday morning, completing the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, which was suspended due to darkness. But a two-out walk-off home run by Kristen Cericola gave the host Hawks (4-9, 1-2 AEC) a 5-3 victory in the series finale.

The Retrievers reached Hartford starter Caitlin Eichler for 13 runs on 16 hits in five innings, including three runs in the first inning, four in the second and five in the third.

The first inning was highlighted by a two-out, two-run double by catcher Jessica Griffith, and first baseman Melanie Denischuk was responsible for three runs in the second, as she knocked her team-leading 13th home run of the season.

Hartford got one back in the bottom of the second on two singles, a walk and an RBI groundout.

In the third inning, left fielder Courtney O’Hara singled with one out and scored on a double by center fielder Kali Shirk before third baseman Reilly Ward singled and Denischuk was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Shepherd, who smashed her third homer of the season to put UMBC ahead by a score of 12-1.

The Retrievers’ scored their final run of the game in the fourth inning, as O’Hara singled and scored on a single by Ward for the 13-1 victory.

Senior Lauren Nicholson (11-1) threw a four-hitter to earn the win, as she allowed just one run and four walks while striking out five in the five-inning complete game. Eichler suffered the loss for the Hawks.

O’Hara and designated player Stevie Shore were both 3-for-4 in the game. O’Hara scored three runs, while Shore drove in one. Shirk, Ward, Denischuk, Shore and Griffith all had two hits. Shepherd was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and four RBI, while Denischuk was 2-for-3 with three runs and three RBI.

The Retrievers again struck first in the series finale, as Ward hit a sacrifice fly to drive in right fielder Carla O’Rourke in the third inning for a 1-0 lead. Denischuk hit a one-out homer to right field in the fifth inning before Shepherd doubled and scored on Griffith’s single for a 3-0 advantage.

Despite allowing five hits and a walk through the first four innings, UMBC starter Krista Kearns held the Hawks scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when the notched a run on two singles, then added another in the sixth on two errors and an RBI.

Clinging to a 3-2 lead heading into the seventh inning, the Retrievers got runners on first and second but could not score. Kearns got the first batter of the bottom of the seventh to ground out before allowing an infielder single. After another groundout, catcher Nikki Thompson singled to tie the score and Cericola hit a walk-off home run to left-center field for the 5-3 victory.

Kearns suffered the loss, as she allowed five runs (four earned) on 11 hits and a walk while striking out five in 6.2 innings. Eichler picked up the win, blanking the Retrievers over the final 2.2 innings on three hits and a walk. Briana Hout started the game for the Hawks and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks and struck out five batters.

Shepherd went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Denischuk was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run.

The Retrievers return to action Tuesday, April 4, as they host regional foe Georgetown at 2 p.m. at UMBC Softball Stadium.