UMBC

Reilly Ward smashed her first home run of the season and drove in three against Sacred Heart.

Baltimore-Sparked by four home runs, the UMBC softball team (9-6) won twice on the first day of the UMBC Spring Classic, defeating Sacred Heart, 10-1, in five innings, and Niagara, 6-1.

Junior designated player Ashley Gray went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, two runs scored and an RBI to lead the Retrievers past the Pioneers in Game One, while sophomore Krista Kearns (2-2) pitched a gem, striking out six and allowing no earned runs on just four hits and no walks in the five-inning complete game victory.

Freshman center fielder Emily Thompson hit a two-out, two-run double in the second inning, scoring senior shortstop Reilly Ward and Gray, who had each singled, to give UMBC an early 2-0 lead. Ward made it 5-0 an inning later with a three-run home run.

With two outs in the fourth, freshman third baseman Amanda Fefel crushed a solo shot to left field for a 6-run advantage, and Gray led off the fifth with a round-tripper of her own. With the bases loaded and two out later in the inning, Fefel hit an infield single to score two. The next batter, senior catcher Krissy Licursi, singled to center, and senior first baseman Melanie Denischuk came around to score from second on an error by the center fielder, giving UMBC a 10-0 lead.

After retiring the first six batters of the game in order, Kearns worked her way out of a bases-loaded jam in the third. The only run to score off her came in the fifth when pinch hitters Justine Scutaro and Jill Iazetta reached on a single and an error, respectively. Nikki Stoltz, pinch running for Scutaro, then scored on a fielder’s choice by second baseman Megan Spehar.

Ward and Fefel each had two hits and three RBI in the game.

Bethany Lemenager suffered the loss for Sacred Heart, allowing six runs on nine hits in four innings. Danielle Mellin pitched the fifth for the Pioneers and allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks.

Denischuk led the Retrievers in Game Two against Niagara, going 2-for-3 with two RBI, a run scored and her first homer of the season.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when Denischuk led off the inning with a double down the left field line, and pinch runner Kristi Troster scored on Licursi’s double to center one batter later.

Freshman third baseman Ashleigh Robinson led off the fifth with a single and stole second, then scored when junior right fielder Carla O’Rourke reached on an error. One batter later, Denischuk crushed a home run to center field for a 4-0 lead.

Niagara got on the board in the top of the sixth on a leadoff double by right fielder Kristen Kill and a two-out single by catcher Nicole Sum. But the Retrievers scored twice more in the bottom of the inning on O’Rourke’s two-out double to center field.

Gray (2-3) went the distance to pick up the victory for UMBC, allowing one run on five hits and three walks while striking out five in seven innings of work. Brooke Viola suffered the loss for Niagara, as she allowed six runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out three in six innings.

Kill led the Purple Eagles at the plate, going 3-for-4 and scoring their only run of the game.

In the first two games of the tournament, Cleveland State defeated Sacred Heart, 7-1, then took down Niagara, 3-1.

A jam-packed Saturday that includes five games begins at 8:45 a.m. when Cleveland State takes on Holy Cross. The Retrievers face Cleveland State at 12:35 p.m., and Holy Cross at 4:25 p.m.

Fifth Annual UMBC Spring Classic

Friday, March 23 – Pool Play

Game 1: Cleveland State 7, Sacred Heart 1

Game 2: Cleveland State 3, Niagara 1

Game 3: UMBC 10, Sacred Heart 1 (5 innings)

Game 4: UMBC 6, Niagara 1

Saturday, March 24 – Pool Play

8:45 a.m. Cleveland State vs. Holy Cross

10:40 a.m. Sacred Heart vs. Holy Cross

12:35 p.m. UMBC vs. Cleveland State

2:30 p.m. Niagara vs. Sacred Heart

4:25 p.m. UMBC vs. Holy Cross

Sunday, March 25 – Pool/Bracket Play

9 a.m. Holy Cross vs. Niagara

Bracket Play Begins

11 a.m. 4th Place vs. 5th Place - Silver Champion, no advancement

1 p.m. 2nd Place vs. 3rd Place

3 p.m. 1st Place vs. 2nd Place/3rd Place winner – Gold Champion