UMBC

Kali Shirk hit a two-run homer to lead UMBC past St. Francis.

Baltimore-The UMBC softball team (4-1) won two games on the second day of the UMBC Dawg Pound Tournament, defeating Bucknell 5-3 and St. Francis (Pa.) 4-2.

The Retrievers got on the board early against Bucknell, scoring two runs in the first inning. Junior center fielder Kali Shirk led off the game with a single and a stolen base, then scored on a one-out sacrifice fly by senior Melanie Denischuk. Junior Ashley Gray then hit her first home run in a UMBC uniform for a 2-0 lead.

The Bison scored one run in the third, fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-2 advantage, but the Retrievers regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore Krista Kearns singled and advanced to second on a throwing error, then scored on shortstop Dana Shepherd’s RBI single before Denischuk tripled to right to plate Shepherd for the 4-3 lead.

UMBC added an insurance run in the sixth on a solo homer by catcher Krissy Licursi.

Kearns gave up just two earned runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four in the complete game victory. Four of the hits did not leave the infield.

In the second game, St. Francis took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but freshman Amanda Fefel and Shepherd hit solo shots in the second and third, respectively, to put UMBC on top, 2-1.

Freshman Ashleigh Robinson walked with one out in the top of the fifth, then came around to score on Shirk’s two-run blast, giving UMBC a 4-1 lead. The Red Flash added a run in the bottom of the fifth on an error, but the Retrievers held on for the 4-2 win.

Shepherd went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the game, while Shirk was 1-for-4 with two runs driving in. Three of UMBC’s six hits in the game were home runs.

Gray gave up two runs – none earned – on two hits and a walk to pick up her first UMBC victory.

In the first five games this season, UMBC pitchers have thrown five complete games, and the Retrievers have won four in a row and are off to their best start in head coach Joe French’s tenure.

In the first two games of the day, St. Francis defeated Howard, 8-5, and Howard took down Bucknell, 8-5.

In Sunday’s bracket play, third-seeded Howard will take on No. 2 St. Francis at 9:30 a.m. before top-seeded UMBC faces No. 4 Bucknell at 11:30 a.m. The championship game will take place at 1:30 p.m., and the consolation game, weather permitting, will be played at 3:30 p.m.

Third Annual UMBC Dawg Pound Tournament

Friday, March 9 – Pool Play
St. Francis (Pa.) 2, Bucknell 1
UMBC 3, Howard 0

Saturday March 10 – Pool Play
St. Francis (Pa.) 8, Howard 5
Howard 8, Bucknell 5
UMBC 5, Bucknell 3
UMBC 54, St. Francis (Pa.) 2

Sunday March 11 – Championship Bracket Play
9:30 a.m. No. 2 St. Francis vs. No. 3 Howard
11:30 a.m. No. 1 UMBC vs. No. 4 Bucknell
1:30 p.m. Championship Game
3:30 p.m. Consolation Game