UMBC

Dana Shepherd went 4-for-7 with three RBI and three runs scored in two games against Stony Brook.

BALTIMORE—The UMBC softball team (17-21, 6-4 AEC) dropped both ends of a doubleheader to America East rival Stony Brook (18-15-1, 5-5 AEC) Saturday afternoon at the UMBC Softball Stadium. The Seawolves won a slugfest, 10-7, in game one, before taking a pitcher’s duel, 3-2, in the second game.

Game 1: Stony Brook 10, UMBC 7

The teams combined to hit six home runs in the first game, with three for each side. The Seawolves scored two in the first on a round-tripper by center fielder Kelsi Fanelli, but the Retrievers got one back in the second on a solo shot by right fielder Julia Culotta.

Stony Brook exploded for six runs on five hits in the third to jump out to a commanding 8-1 lead. First baseman Marissa Fleury hit a one-out RBI double, and after a walk loaded the bases, shortstop Vicki Kavitsky hit a grand slam that chased UMBC starter Ashley Gray. Reliever Amanda Fefel struck out the first batter she faced, then surrendered a solo homer to designated player Casey Jacobs.

But the Retrievers had a big inning of their own in the fourth, scoring five runs on five hits. Fefel singled to lead off the inning and scored on third baseman Emily Thompson’s one-out home run to left center. Then with two outs and two runners on, second baseman Dana Shepherd smashed a three-run shot over the left field fence to pull UMBC to within two runs, 8-6.

The Seawolves loaded the bases in the sixth and scored twice on an RBI single by Fleury and a wild pitch, pushing their lead to four runs at 10-6. Gray’s run-scoring single in the bottom of the inning made the score 10-7, but the Retrievers would get no closer.

Alyssa Struzenberg (12-6) picked up the victory for Stony Brook despite allowing six runs on six hits and three walks in four innings. Jacobs earned the save after allowing just one runs on four hits in three innings of work.

Gray (4-6) was charged with seven runs (six earned) on six hits and a walk in 2.1 innings to suffer the loss. Fefel allowed three runs on six hits in 3.1 innings, and Stephanie Weigman surrendered three hits in a scoreless final 1.1 innings.

Culotta led the Retrievers at the plate with her first career three-hit game, while Shepherd and Thompson each collected two hits.

The first four batters in Stony Brook’s lineup combined to go 9-for-15 with four RBI and seven runs scored, led by Fleury, who was 3-for-4 with two RBI. Kavitsky was also 3-for-4 with four runs driven in.

Game 2: Stony Brook 3, UMBC 2

Game two began similarly, as Fleury homered to give the Seawolves an early 2-0 lead. Stony Brook then added a single run in the third when right fielder Ashley Westphal walked to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a failed pick-off attempt and scored on an RBI single by second baseman Molly Kestranek.

The Seawolves maintained their 3-0 lead for most of the game, as Jacobs retired 16 of the first 18 batters she faced. But with one out in the sixth, Shepherd singled and left fielder Lauren Brummell walked. One batter later, Gray drove in Shepherd with a base hit through the left side. After catcher Kali Shirk reached on an error to load the bases, Thompson singled to center to score Brummell, but Gray was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

The Retrievers threatened in the bottom of the seventh, getting two runners on base, but they were stranded there, as Stony Brook completed the two-game sweep with a final score of 3-2.

Jacobs (4-2) picked up the complete game victory after allowing just two runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk. Weigman (9-11) suffered the loss and was charged with three runs (two earned) on seven hits and four walks in seven innings.

Shepherd and Thompson again led UMBC offensively with a pair of 2-for-4 efforts, and they were both 4-for-7 with three RBI in the two contests. Kestranek was a perfect 3-for-3 to pace Stony Brook in game two.

Gray and Shepherd each extended their hitting streaks to 14 and 13 games, respectively. Shepherd also moved into second place all-time at UMBC with 360 career total bases, and she moved into a tie with Amy Wolff for fourth place on the RBI list with 126 in her career.

The teams meet again Sunday at 12 p.m. for the series finale at UMBC Softball Stadium.