UMBC

BALTIMORE—The UMBC softball team (12-5) took Delaware (6-13) to extra innings for the second time in three games against the Blue Hens this season, but this time the Retrievers dropped a 5-4 eight-inning decision on the second day of the UMBC Spring Classic.

After junior hurler Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) struck out the first two batters of the game, Delaware shortstop Michelle Grap lifted a solo home run over the left field fence to put the Blue Hens on the board.

The Retrievers responded in the bottom of the inning when junior second baseman Lauren Brummell (Hanover, Va./Hanover) led off with a single and scored on senior third baseman Amanda Fefel’s (Baltimore, Md./Catonsville) one-out double to tie the game.

Delaware took a 3-1 lead in the second on a two-run single by second baseman Bertie Lake, but UMBC got one back on Brummell’s team-best fifth home run of the season, which came with the bases empty and two out in the bottom of the frame.

The score remained 3-2 until the bottom of the sixth, when the Retrievers knotted it up when Brummell reached on an error with two outs to drive in junior center fielder Julia Culotta (Street, Md./North Harford/Tennessee), who had singled to start the inning.

Neither team could push a run across in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings. Under international tiebreaker rules, a runner is placed on second base to start the eighth inning, and the Blue Hens’ Jenny Richards scored on a passed ball to break the tie just before Grap hit her second home run of the day to put Delaware on top, 5-3.

In the bottom of the inning, sophomore pinch hitter Kaela Mason (Bel Air, Md./Harford Tech) singled to drive in Culotta and pull UMBC to within one with no outs, but the Retrievers’ rally fell short.

Weigman struck out eight and allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits in the loss, while Amanda Stacevicz gave up four runs (two earned) on 10 hits and struck out 10 to earn the victory for Delaware. Both pitchers went the distance.

In other action on the second day of the UMBC Spring Classic, Niagara defeated Lehigh, 7-3; Mount St. Mary’s beat Niagara, 15-7; and Lehigh took down Mount St. Mary’s, 11-8.

The fifth game scheduled for the afternoon between Saint Joseph’s and Georgetown could not be played, as sunset was rapidly approaching at the end of the Lehigh-Mount St. Mary’s contest, forcing an adjustment to Sunday’s schedule, which follows:

8:45 a.m. Delaware vs. Lehigh

10:40 a.m. Georgetown vs. Mount St. Mary’s

12:35 p.m. Georgetown vs. Saint Joseph’s

2:30 p.m. UMBC vs. Saint Joseph’s

4:25 p.m. UMBC vs. Mount St. Mary’s