UMBC

Amanda Fefel struck out seven Tiger batters in the first game.

TOWSON, Md.—Still struggling to get its offense going this season, the UMBC softball team (9-14) dropped both games of a doubleheader to cross-town rival Towson (17-13) Tuesday afternoon, falling by scores of 3-2 and 6-1.

Game 1: Towson 3, UMBC 2 (8 innings)

Neither team scored more than one run in an inning in the first game, as UMBC starter Amanda Fefel dueled Towson’s Shannon Johnston for seven innings, but the Tigers prevailed in the eighth.

The Retrievers struck first in the top of the third on an RBI double by left fielder Lauren Brummell. But Towson third baseman Stef Streets homered in the bottom of the fourth to tie the score at 1-1.

With runners on first and third after second baseman Dana Shepherd was hit by a pitch and Fefel doubled, designated player Krista Kearns hit a sacrifice fly to give UMBC a 2-1 lead.

Down to the final three outs of the game, Tiger catcher Aimee Rosa led off the bottom of the seventh with a game-tying home run, sending the contest into extra innings. After the Retrievers went down in order in the top of the eighth, two of the first three Towson batters reached base in the bottom of the frame, and left fielder Emily Gould singled to drive in the winning run for the come-from-behind victory.

Fefel (3-3) gave up three runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out seven in 7.1 innings of work and suffered the loss. Johnston (9-6) picked up the win for Towson, as she allowed two runs on five and no walks while striking out six batters in eight innings.

Fefel also led the Retrievers offensively with a 2-for-4 effort. Three different Tigers went 2-for-3, including Streets, who also scored twice.

Game 2: Towson 6, UMBC 1

The Retrievers again managed just five hits in the nightcap, while the UMBC pitching was susceptible to the long ball.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, Rosa hit her second home run of the day to give Towson a 1-0 lead. An inning later, Streets singled through the right side to drive in two more and put the Tigers ahead by a score of 3-0.

After going down in order in the fourth, Towson struck for three more in the fifth, chasing UMBC starter Stephanie Weigman. Second baseman Mindy Bean led off the inning with a double, and shortstop Sammi DiPompo followed with her first career home run. After back-to-back singles, Kearns relieved Weigman and retired the side, but allowed an unearned run to score on an error.

The Retrievers’ lone run of the game came in the top of the seventh. They loaded the bases with a walk and two singles, and third baseman Emily Thompson hit a sacrifice fly.

Weigman (5-7) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk in five innings of work. Kearns pitched two hitless innings in relief, her only base runners coming via two walks. Claire Reitmann-Grout (7-3) earned the victory after holding UMBC to one run on five hits and two walks while striking out 10 in the complete game.

Five different Retrievers accounted for UMBC’s five hits, including Fefel, who extended her streak of reaching base safely to 35 games dating back to April 24, 2007. DiPompo led Towson at the plate with a 3-for-4 effort, two runs and two RBI.

The Retrievers return to action on Wednesday when they host Bucknell in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.