UMBC

Malorie Weller went 4-for-8 with six RBI in two games against Howard.

BALTIMORE—The UMBC softball team (7-8) racked up 23 hits and scored 17 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Howard (5-13) Wednesday afternoon at UMBC Softball Stadium. The Retrievers won the first game, 12-6, before taking Game 2, 5-4.

Game 1: UMBC 12, Howard 6

Howard jumped on UMBC starter Amanda Fefel (Baltimore, Md./Catonsville) early, scoring three runs in the first inning on a home run by third baseman Courtney Young.

But the Retrievers came back with four runs in the bottom of the inning, sending 10 batters to the plate as the first six hitters reached base safely. Fefel helped her own caused with a two-run double, and pinch runner Jessica Vetock (Pasadena, Md./Institute of Notre Dame/CCBC-Catonsville) came around to score on a single by center fielder Julia Culotta (Street, Md./North Harford/Tennessee), which chased Howard starter Emily Johnson. Back-to-back singles by first baseman Lauren O'Malley (Pasadena, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and catcher Amanda Page (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia/Monroe CC) plated a fourth run to give UMBC a 4-3 lead.

Back-to-back two-out doubles in the top of the third tied the score, but the Retrievers sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning to take control of the game with seven runs. Pinch hitter Kaela Mason’s (Bel Air, Md./Harford Tech) RBI double got the scoring started, but the big blow came on a three-run double by right fielder Malorie Weller (Round Hill, Va./Loudoun Valley/Kennesaw State). Weller scored a batter later on second baseman Lauren Brummell’s triple. The final two runs of the inning scored on an error and a bases-loaded walk, which put UMBC on top, 11-4.

The Retrievers added a 12th run in the fourth on three singles, but Howard struck for two in the top of the fifth on three singles and a sacrifice fly.

Fefel (2-1) picked up the victory despite allowing six runs on seven hits and five walks in five innings. Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) pitched two scoreless innings in relief. Carly Martin (0-5) suffered the loss for Howard after giving up seven runs (four earned) on five hits and five walks in 2.2 innings of work. Johnson allowed four runs without recording an out in the first inning, while Jess Hurston surrendered one run on six hits in the final 3.1.

Weller paced the Retrievers’ offense with a 3-for-5 effort, two runs and three RBI. Fefel went 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Brummell was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Young led the Bison at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance and three RBI.

Game 2: UMBC 5, Howard 4

The second game remained scoreless until the Retrievers finally broke through with four runs in the fifth. Mason got the scoring started with a one-out RBI single, paving the way for Weller, who hit her fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot to center field.

Page’s RBI double in the sixth gave UMBC a 5-0 lead, which proved to be an important insurance run when the Bison scored four times in the top of the seventh. The big blow in the inning was a two-run homer by catcher Nicole Saez.

Weigman (4-6) went the distance in the win, allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits while striking out nine. Martin (0-6) also pitched a complete game in the loss after giving up five runs on eight hits.

Page was the only Retriever with more than one hit, as she went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Weller was 1-for-3 with three RBI.

The Retrievers return to action this weekend for the UMBC Retriever Classic, where they will take on Marist and Hampton.