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News Release

Maryland, Bucknell, GW On Tap for UMBC Softball

2/20/2008

Dana Shepherd is nearing some offensive career milestones.

BALTIMORE—The UMBC softball team (1-3) will play three doubleheaders over the next six days, as the Retrievers face in-state rival Maryland on Thursday at 2 p.m. in College Park, then face Bucknell in the home opener on Saturday at 1 p.m. before hosting George Washington on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

A Look Back: UMBC opened the season last weekend at the UNC-Greensboro Spartan Classic, where they went 1-3. The Retrievers seemingly could not get their bats going, as they hit .170 as a team. Sophomore third baseman Emily Thompson (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) and sophomore first baseman Amanda Fefel (Baltimore, Md./Catonsville) led the Retrievers’ offense on the weekend, as Thompson went 5-for-12 (.417) with two doubles and three RBI, while Fefel went 4-for-11 (.364) with a triple, two RBI and three runs scored. Senior Ashly Gray (Pasadena, Md./Northeast/Delaware State) suffered two hard-luck losses, as she allowed just two earned runs in 12 innings.

Game 1 – Cleveland State 1, UMBC 0: Senior Ashley Gray pitched six strong innings, allowing just one unearned run on three hits and a walk while striking out five. But her offense did not give her any support, as the batters managed just three singles and two walks. Third baseman Emily Thompson picked up two of UMBC’s three hits in the game.

Game 2 – Central Michigan 8, UMBC 3: The Retrievers took an early 3-0 lead, but a seven-run third for Central Michigan doomed UMBC and freshman pitcher Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding). With two outs and a run already in, six straight Chippewas reached base, with the big blow coming on a grand slam by pinch hitter Amanda Klosterman. Sophomore Amanda Fefel relieved Weigman to start the fourth and surrendered a leadoff homer but only allowed one more hit the rest of the way. The Retrievers got two runs back in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI groundout by designated player Ashley Gray and a run-scoring triple by Fefel.

Game 3 – UNC-Greensboro 3, UMBC 0: The Spartans got single runs in the first, second and fourth innings. After an unearned run crossed the plate in the first, UNCG got three straight one-out hits, including a double and an RBI single that made the score 2-0. UNCG then manufactured a run in the fourth. Senior Ashley Gray pitched another complete game but again suffered the hard luck loss. She struck out three and walked just two. Third baseman Emily Thompson picked up the Retrievers’ only extra-base hit of the game, a double in the seventh.

Game 4 – UMBC 4, James Madison 3: Neither team scored through the first three innings but the Dukes struck first, plating three runs in the top of the fourth on two walks and three hits, including RBI doubles by third baseman Amber Kirk and designated hitter Shannon Moxey and an RBI single by second baseman Kaitlyn Wernsing. The Retrievers, who had gone down in order in each of the first three innings, answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by first baseman Ashley Gray and a two-run double by third baseman Emily Thompson that tied the game. The score remained knotted until the sixth, when Fefel led off the inning with a single and reached third on a two-base error by the right fielder. She then came around to score what proved to be the winning run a batter later on a single by freshman center fielder Julia Culotta (Street, Md./North Harford/Tennessee). Stephanie Weigman bounced back from her rough debut to pick up her first collegiate win, as she pitched three scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit and two walks. Four different Retrievers accounted for UMBC’s four hits in the game.

On the Terps: Maryland is 7-1 on the season and riding a four-game winning streak after defeating Elon and Coastal Carolina twice apiece at the Coastal Carolina Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last weekend. Freshman outfielder Kerry Hickey leads the Terps with a .400 batting average, while Sarde Stewart has a team-best nine RBI. All four of Maryland’s pitchers boast an ERA below 1.75, including Hickey, who is 2-0 with an 0.89 ERA in 15.2 innings, Sarah Dooley, who is 3-1 with a 1.12 ERA in 18.2 innings and Meredith Nelles, who is 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in 27.1 innings of work. Opponents are batting just .181 against the Terps. Maryalnd was picked to finish fifth in the ACC.

Last Time vs. the Terps: The Retrievers dropped both games of last season’s doubleheader at UMBC Softball Stadium. The Terps pounded out 13 hits in the first game, winning 12-3. Maryland scored seven runs in the first four innings and five in the seventh. UMBC got all three runs in the second on a home run by third baseman Emily Thompson. In a 4-1 decision in the second game, the Terps scored all four runs in the first two innings, while the Retrievers’ lone run came on an RBI single by shortstop Dana Shepherd (Oakland Mills, Md./Columbia).

UMBC vs. Maryland All-Time: The Terps lead the all-time series 13-3. The Retrievers have lost the last 10 games between the two teams. UMBC’s last win against Maryland came on April 3, 1997, a 1-0 victory in the second game of a doubleheader in Baltimore. The Retrievers are 0-6 all-time in College Park. The series dates back to 1995.

On the Bison: Bucknell is 1-4 on the season after the season-opening Longwood Leadoff Classic last weekend, with the victory coming against Pittsburgh, a 4-1 decision. Sam Rolandi leads the Bison with a .375 average. Bucknell’s bats struggled in Farmville, Va., as the Bison hit just .175 and scored 11 runs in the five games. Christie Weist boasts a team-best 1.29 ERA in 21.2 innings of work. Bucknell was picked to finish fifth in the Patriot League and returns all-conference outfielder Ashley Carlson.

Last Time vs. the Bison: Bucknell defeated the Retrievers, 5-4, in last season’s UMBC Dawg Pound Tournament. UMBC held a 4-3 lead for six innings, but the Bison got two in the top of the seventh to win the game. The Retrievers scored all four runs in the bottom of the second, with the big blows coming on a two-run homer by catcher Krissy Licursi and an RBI double by center fielder Kali Shirk (North Wales, Pa./North Penn). The previous day, the Retrievers defeated the Bison, 5-3.

UMBC vs. Bucknell All-Time: The Retrievers lead the all-time series, 7-3. Prior to last season’s loss, UMBC had defeated the Bison four straight times. The series dates back to 1991, and Bucknell is 2-4 in Baltimore.

On the Colonials: George Washington is 2-3 on the season after the season-opening Carolina Classic Feb. 8-10, and the Colonials have not played since. Outfielder Jackie Yaniga, the reigning Atlantic-10 Player of the Week, leads GW with a .563 batting average, but the Colonials, who are hitting .398 as a team, boast seven players who are batting .300 or better. Catcher Elisa Van Kirk leads the team with two homers and eight RBI. Amanda Gabriel has pitched the majority of the Colonials’ innings this season and holds a 3.13 ERA. George Washington was selected to finish seventh in the A-10.

Last Time vs. the Colonials: The teams split a doubleheader last season in Washington, D.C., with George Washington taking the opener, 5-4, in nine innings and UMBC winning the nightcap, 5-2, in six frames. The second game was ended early due to darkness. In Game One, the Retrievers held a 4-1 lead after three innings, but the Colonials tied it up with a three-run sixth and won with a bases loaded single in the bottom of the ninth. The teams combined to score all seven runs of Game Two in the second and third innings. Right fielder Heather Bennett hit a two-run double in the second, while Jessica Taylor struck out five in the complete-game victory.

UMBC vs. George Washington All-Time: Last season’s doubleheader was the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

Gray Named America East Pitcher of the Week: Senior Ashley Gray was tabbed the America East Pitcher of the Week for the opening week of action, the third such award of her career. Gray suffered two hard-luck losses in two appearances at the Spartan Classic, pitching two complete games and allowing just two earned runs in 12 innings. She struck out eight batters, walked three and posted a 1.17 ERA while holding batters to a .234 average.

Milestone Watch: Senior shortstop Dana Shepherd is on the verge of becoming just the sixth player in UMBC history to record 200 career hits. She currently has 191 after last weekend’s games. She is also close to becoming the eighth Retriever ever with 300 total bases, as she currently has 296.