UMBC

Amanda Fefel hit her eighth home run of the season and also pitched three no-hit innings in game two.

Baltimore-Junior Ashley Gray and freshman Amanda Fefel combined to throw 10 scoreless innings, allowing just three total hits, as the UMBC softball team (21-8, 6-2 America East) won both games of a doubleheader against America East rival Binghamton (4-19, 1-7 America East) Wednesday afternoon at UMBC Softball Stadium. The Retrievers extended their winning streak to seven games, including five straight in the conference, with the 8-0 and 9-0 five-inning victories.

UMBC capitalized on two Bearcat errors in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead, then added single runs in the third and fourth before exploding for a five-run fifth.

With one out, the Retrievers got a walk, back-to-back doubles by Gray and catcher Krissy Licursi and three straight singles by right fielder Lauren O’Malley, left fielder Kristi Troster and second baseman Dana Shepherd before a fielder’s choice off the bat of center fielder Kali Shirk drove in the eighth and game-ending run.

Gray (7-4) pitched a two-hit shutout, walking two and striking out two in five innings to earn the victory. She allowed a leadoff hit to center fielder Liz Sequeira, then retired 10 straight batters.

Jessica Whittaker suffered the loss for Binghamton after allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits and two walks in 4.1 innings of work. Patty Egan relieved her after Licursi’s double in the fifth and allowed two runs on three hits without recording an out.

Shirk went 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Retrievers at the plate. Shepherd and Krista Kearns also had two hits, while O’Malley drove in two. UMBC had five doubles in the game.

The Retrievers scored three times in the third inning of game two, on three consecutive singles to start the inning and a two-out double by first baseman Melanie Denischuk. Denischuk then came around to score when Fefel reached on an error.

UMBC scored six runs in the fourth to win the game. Shirk walked with the bases loaded before Denischuk hit a two-run single. Fefel then came up with runners on first and third and smashed a home run to center field.

Gray pitched the first two innings of the game and allowed one hit and one walk while striking out three. Fefel (8-1) pitched the final three frames without allowing a hit and striking out three to pick up the victory.

Cyrilla Suker suffered the loss for Binghamton after giving up nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits and four walks while striking out five in four innings.

Denischuk paced the Retrievers at the plate with a 2-for-3, two-run, four-RBI performance.

The Retrievers return to action this weekend when they host America East rival Vermont in a three-game series Saturday and Sunday at UMBC Softball Stadium.