UMBC

Ashley Gray extended her hitting streak to 15 games with a game-winning home run against Stony Brook.

BALTIMORE—First baseman Ashley Gray hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie, and pitcher Stephanie Weigman did the rest, throwing seven innings of two-hit ball, as the UMBC softball team (18-21, 7-4 AEC) defeated America East rival Stony Brook (18-16-1, 5-6 AEC) by a score of 2-1 in the series finale Sunday afternoon at UMBC Softball Stadium. The victory was the 450th of head coach Joe French's 15-year career.

Weigman (10-11) allowed just one unearned run on two hits and two walks while striking out five in the complete game. Stony Brook starter Alyssa Struzenberg (12-7) was nearly as good, allowing two runs on three hits in six innings. She walked five batters but struck out 12.

The Retrievers loaded the bases in the bottom of the first on an infield single and two walks, then took a 1-0 lead on a wild pitch that scored second baseman Dana Shepherd. But the Seawolves tied it up in the top of the second when, with two outs and a runner on third, third baseman Kelly Oberto reached on an error that scored first baseman Marissa Fleury.

The pitchers took over from there, combining to retire the side in order five times over the next four innings. Struzenberg struck out the side three times, while Weigman retired the final 12 batters she faced.

Struzenberg had retired 11 of the last 12 batters heading into the sixth inning before Gray led off with a solo homer that broke the 1-1 tie with the eventual winning run.

Gray and Shepherd each extended their hitting streaks to 15 and 14 consecutive games, respectively.

Stony Brook center fielder Kelsi Fanelli accounted for both of the Seawolves’ hits on the day.

The Retrievers' all-time winningest coach, French has now won 450 games in 15 seasons at three different schools, including 95 in four years at Mansfield University, 119 in four seasons at SUNY-Geneseo and 226 in seven years at UMBC. 

The Retrievers return to action next weekend, when they host America East rival Boston University in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. at UMBC Softball Stadium.