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News Release

Eight-Run Second Lifts Second-Seeded Retrievers Past No. 3 Hartford in America East Championships

5/10/2007

Krissy Licursi went 3-for-4 with two doubles against Hartford.

Amanda Fefel picked up her first career save after shutting down the Hawks over the final 1.1 innings.

Boston-The second-seeded UMBC softball team (31-16) scored eight runs in the second inning en route to a 9-5 victory over No. 3 Hartford (22-26) in the first round of the America East Championships Thursday afternoon at the Boston University Softball Field.

The Retrievers used six hits, two hit batters and three Hartford errors in the inning, as they sent 12 batters to the plate. The big hit was a two-out three-run single to center by designated player Melanie Denischuk, which made the score 6-0. First baseman Amanda Fefel, who led off the inning with the first of three consecutive singles, reached on an error to plate Denischuk, and catcher Krissy Licursi doubled to drive in Fefel with the eighth and final run of the inning.

Hartford chipped away at UMBC’s lead, scoring twice in the third and three times in the sixth.

The Retrievers added their ninth run of the game when second baseman Dana Shepherd doubled and scored on an RBI single by center fielder Kali Shirk. Shepherd’s double was her 19th of the season, breaking the school record.

The Hawks chased UMBC starter Ashley Gray after scoring three runs in the sixth inning. Fefel entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs and struck out designated player Olivia Piacentini to end the threat, then retired the side in order in the seventh to earn her first career save.

Gray (13-7) picked up the victory despite allowing five runs on 10 hits and six walks in 5.2 innings of work. She struck out five. Brittney Stratton (15-11) suffered the loss after giving up nine runs (three earned) on 12 hits and three walks while striking out six in six innings.

Licursi led the Retrievers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, while Shepherd and Fefel each had two hits and scored two runs.

Hartford center fielder Kristie Rochette went 3-for-3 with two runs scored to pace the Hawks.

The Retrievers take on fourth-seeded and defending conference champion Albany on Friday at 11 a.m. A win would send UMBC to the America East championship round on Saturday. With a loss, the Retrievers would face the winner of the Hartford/No. 1 Boston University game at 4 p.m.