SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Sophomore first baseman Malorie Weller (Round Hill, Va./Loudoun Valley/Kennesaw State) hit a two-run home run in her first game in a Retriever uniform, but it was not enough, as the UMBC softball team (0-1) dropped its season opener to host South Carolina-Upstate (3-0) by a score of 4-2 on the first day of the Campus Suites Spartan Classic at Cyrill Stadium.

The teams engaged in a pitcher’s duel through three innings until Upstate cracked the scoreboard in the fourth. With two outs and runners on second and third, it appeared as if UMBC sophomore hurler Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) would emerge unscathed when Spartan catcher Jenna Torbert grounded to third, but the ball glanced off junior third baseman Emily Thompson’s glove and both runners scored to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.

The Spartans made it 3-0 an inning later when second baseman Courtney Feldon hit a solo home run to left, but the Retrievers battled back in the sixth when Weller delievered her two-run shot to right, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

Another error led to another unearned Upstate run in the bottom of the inning, as with two outs and a runner on first, Torbert lifted a deep fly ball to the warning track in left-center, but it went in and out of sophomore center fielder Julia Culotta’s glove to allow pinch runner Janna Lewis to score from second and give the Spartans a 4-2 lead.

Weigman (0-1) suffered the tough luck loss, allowing just one earned run on three hits and while striking out five in the complete game. Upstate hurler Morgan Childers (3-0) also went the distance, allowing two runs on two hits with 15 strikeouts.

The Retrievers return to action on Saturday when they take on the College of Charleston at 11 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. on the second day of the Campus Suites Spartan Classic.