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News Release

UMBC SOFTBALL KNOCKS MAINE OUT OF AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT, TIED WITH BOSTON U., 1-1, IN FOURTH INNING OF SEMIFINAL GAME

5/12/2006

  • Box Score

    Dana Shepherd hit a solo home run on Friday.

    Orono, Maine -  The UMBC softball team defeated Maine, 5-1, to knock the host Black Bears out of the America East Conference Tournament and advance to the semifinal game against Boston University.  The Terriers and Retrievers are tied at 1-1 at the end of four innings of that semifinal contest, which will be resumed on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.  The game was halted due to darkness.   

     

    The winner will move on to the title event versus Albany. The first of two potential title games is set to get underway at 12 noon. The Great Danes advanced through the winner's bracket and need to win just one game to earn the 2006 conference crown, while their opponent will need to win two games over Albany to secure the title of the four-team, double-elimination tournament.

     

    Against Maine, the Retrievers scored solo runs in the second, third and fifth inning while tallying two runs in the sixth en route to their first-ever America East Championship victory.  Krista Kearns pitched a complete game, allowing one run and six hits in seven innings.  Kearns walked three and struck out two. 

     

    Ashlea Underwood scored the Retrievers' first run of the game in the second inning, scoring on an error after reaching base with a walk, moving to second on a wild pitch and reaching third on an error. 

     

    Erin Provost hit a solo home run in the top of the third to tie the game at 1-1.  That would be all the offense Kearns would allow as Dana Shepherd hit a home run in the bottom half of the inning to give the Retrievers the lead for good at  2-1.

     

    UMBC added an insurance run in the fifth on a Melanie Denischuck solo home run, and then scored two in the sixth inning. In the sixth, Carla O’Rourke singled in the first Retriever run and an RBI bunt single by Courtney O’Hara led to the Retrievers' fifth run of the game. 

     

    Jenna Balent took the loss for Maine going five innings, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.  Sarah Bennis pitched the sixth inning, allowing two runs on three hits. 

     

    The victory was head coach Joe French's 400th in his 13 years of coaching college softball.