UMBC

Ashley Gray had five hits against Georgetown.

BALTIMORE—The UMBC softball team (14-16) split a doubleheader with Georgetown (17-26) Wednesday afternoon at UMBC Softball Stadium. The Retrievers took the first game, 4-3, in nine innings, before falling in game two by a score of 6-4, snapping their five-game winning streak.

Game 1: UMBC 4, Georgetown 3 (9 innings)

The Hoyas scored first on a solo home run in the third inning by first baseman Demitria Cipriano, and Georgetown maintained its 1-0 lead until the fifth. With two on and two out in the inning, UMBC pitcher Ashley Gray crushed a 3-2 pitch off the scoreboard in dead center field to give the Retrievers a 3-1 advantage.

But the Hoyas tied the scored in the top of the sixth on three hits, including an RBI single by designated player Jillian Webb, and an RBI groundout by catcher Suria Bahadue.

UMBC right fielder Julia Culotta led off the bottom of the inning with a double but was stranded at third base, and she proved to be the last base runner either team would get until the ninth.

After Georgetown left two runners on in the top of the ninth, UMBC center fielder Lauren Brummell came to the plate with a runner on first base and two outs. The freshman hit a fly ball to left field that glanced off Sarah Kamenski’s glove and dropped in, and shortstop Jessica Vetock, who had reached on a fielder’s choice one batter earlier, crossed the plate for the game-winning run.

Three Retriever hurlers pitched in the game, as starter Amanda Fefel allowed one run on four hits and a walk while striking out two in the first 2.1 innings. Gray then allowed two runs on three hits while striking out five – including four of the first five batters she faced – in 4.2 innings of work. Freshman Stephanie Weigman pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out two Hoyas to pick up the victory.

Jennifer Connell went the distance for Georgetown and was charged with four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out four batters in the loss.

Gray led the Retrievers at the plate with a 3-for-4 effort and three RBI. She was the only UMBC batter with more than one hit in the game. Webb and third baseman McKinley Cooper posted two hits apiece for Georgetown.

Game 2: Georgetown 6, UMBC 4

A sloppy second game saw a combined five errors that led to three unearned runs. Georgetown scored a single run in each of the first two innings on an RBI single by Moffat and a home run by right fielder Christine Gallinari.

The Retrievers used five hits and an error to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Second baseman Dana Shepherd, Gray and Fefel led off the inning with three consecutive singles, the final one driving in UMBC’s first run of the game. Two batters later, center fielder Lynn Pronobis singled, and Gray came around to score on a throwing error. Third baseman Emily Thompson then followed with an RBI single that drove in pinch runner Randi Willey for the third run.

But the Hoyas answered with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth. With two outs, the Retrievers committed back-to-back errors to prolong the inning, and Peters homered over the center field fence to put Georgetown back on top, 5-3.

Both teams went down in order in their next at-bats before Culotta smashed her first career home run, a solo shot to right-center field that pulled the Retrievers back to within one at 5-4.

But Cipriano led off the top of the seventh with her second homer of the day to give the Hoyas a two-run advantage at 6-4, and the Retrievers stranded two runners in the bottom of the inning.

Melissa Conners (5-7) picked up the complete game victory for Georgetown after allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out two. Weigman (8-9) suffered the loss and was charged with six runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk while striking out three in six innings. Gray pitched a perfect final frame for UMBC with one strikeout.

Gray and Pronobis each had two hits to lead the Retrievers at the plate, while Peters paced Georgetown with a 2-for-4 effort, three RBI and two runs scored.

The Retrievers return to action this weekend when they host America East rival Albany in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.