UMBC

Ashley Gray went 2-for-4 with two doubles at Maryland.

COLLEGE PARK, Md.—Playing for the first time in 10 days, the UMBC softball team (1-5) dropped both games of a doubleheader to in-state rival Maryland Wednesday afternoon at Robert E. Taylor Stadium. The Terrapins won the first game, 5-1, and the second, 8-0, in five innings.

The Retrievers’ season-long offensive struggles continued, as they managed just six hits in the two games. They had plenty of opportunities, however, as they walked eight times, but they left 14 runners on base.

Maryland jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings of Game 1, scoring two runs in the first, one in the second and three in the third. Freshman designated player Kerry Hickey drove in four runs with a two-run single in the first and a two-run homer in the third.

UMBC threatened in the top of the first, as first baseman Amanda Fefel (Baltimore, Md./Catonsville) walked and center fielder Julia Culotta (Street, Md./North Harford/Tennessee) singled to left, putting two runners on with two outs for designated player Ashley Gray (Pasadena, Md./Northeast/Delaware State). Gray smashed what appeared to be a run-scoring double into right-center field, but Maryland right fielder Natalie Lau made a diving catch running away from the play to end the inning.

The Retrievers got on the board in the fourth on an RBI double by Gray that this time did fall in and plated Culotta, who had walked to lead off the inning. UMBC then loaded the bases with two outs, but catcher Kali Shirk (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) struck out to end the Retriever threat.

Fefel relieved starting pitcher Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) to start the fourth inning and retired the first four batters she faced and nine of 11 overall with three strikeouts.

But Hickey, who had relieved Maryland starter Shannon Dooley in the middle of UMBC’s threat in the top of the fourth, was just as effective as Fefel, as she retired seven straight batters over the final three innings before back-to-back walks and a fielder’s choice gave the Retrievers one last hope. But with runners on first and third and two out, Fefel flied out to right field to end the game.

Hickey was the only player in the game with multiple hits, as she went 2-for-3 with four RBI. She also picked up the victory after pitching four no-hit innings and striking out six. Weigman suffered the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks in three innings.

Gray started Game 2 in the circle for the Retrievers, and the Terps jumped on her early for five runs in the first inning. She walked the bases loaded with just one out, then back-to-back singles to left field by second baseman Brianna Shaw and catcher Brittany Bessho plated four runs. Bessho later scored on a passed ball.

The Retrievers put runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the second as Culotta led off the inning with a walk and Gray doubled to center, but Maryland starter Meredith Nelles struck out three consecutive batters to end the inning.

The Terps scored single runs in the second and third innings, sparked by Lau’s leadoff triple in the second and RBI single in the third. After a scoreless fourth, Maryland plated the winning run in the fifth when third baseman Devon Williams doubled to center, advanced to third on a wild pitch with two outs and later scored on an error.

Gray (0-3) allowed eight runs (five earned) on eight hits and five walks in 4.2 innings of work, while Nelles (3-0) gave up just two hits and two walks while striking out six in the five-inning shutout.

The Retrievers return to action this weekend when they head to Washington, D.C., for the George Washington Colonial Classic, where they will take on Army, Canisius and the host Colonials in the two-day tournament.