UMBC

Boston-After a three-hour rain delay, the second-seeded UMBC softball team (31-17) lost to No. 4 Albany (32-15) by a score of 2-0 Friday afternoon in the America East Championships at the Boston University Softball Field. UMBC's second game of the day against No. 3 Hartford was suspended in a scoreless tie after three innings and will resume Saturday at 11 a.m.

The first game of the day was delayed in the middle of the second inning due to heavy rain showers in the Boston area. The game finally resumed three hours later, and pitchers Ashley Gray and Leah McIntosh battled in a scoreless duel for five innings.

In the bottom of the sixth, however, Albany’s first two batters reach base via errors and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Kelly Ogden and a triple by shortstop Meagan Butsch.

McIntosh set the Retrievers down in order in the top of the seventh to hold on for the 2-0 victory and advance to Saturday’s championship game.

Gray (13-8) took the tough-luck loss after allowing two unearned runs on five hits and one walk while striking out three. McIntosh (10-5) picked up the victory after allowing just two hits and a walk and striking out six. Both pitchers went the distance.

The winner of the UMBC/Hartford contest will face Albany in the championship game Saturday after the conclusion of the first game.