UMBC

Julia Culotta went 3-for-6 with a home run on Saturday.

FARMVILLE, Va.—The UMBC softball team (25-23) saw its five-game win streak come to an end Saturday when it dropped games to East Carolina, 4-0, and Longwood, 7-4, at Lancer Field.

The games were the last in the regular season for the Retrievers, who must wait until Sunday to find out if they will earn the final spot in the four-team America East Championship. At 8-10, UMBC is a half game behind Maine (7-8) in the league standings and needs the Black Bears to lose to Hartford in Sunday’s series finale in order to advance to the conference tournament. Maine split a doubleheader with the Hawks on Saturday.

East Carolina 4, UMBC 0

The Pirates (36-19) scored single runs in the third and sixth, with second baseman Kristi Oshiro driving in the first run and scoring the second. ECU then added two unearned runs in the top of the seventh on a single by center fielder Jasmine Robbins.

The Retrievers had at least one runner on base in six out of seven innings but could not bring anyone home. Senior left fielder Julia Culotta (Street, Md./North Harford/Tennessee) reached base in all three plate appearances, collecting two hits and a walk.

UMBC sophomore Heather Brown (Pasadena, Md./Northeast) gave up four runs (two earned) on seven hits – all singles – and three walks in the complete game loss to fall to 5-5 on the season. East Carolina starter Faith Sutton (9-9) picked up the win after tossing five scoreless innings and allowing just four hits.

Longwood 7, UMBC 4

Longwood third baseman Jordan Cox gave the Lancers (33-12) a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-out home run, then added three runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead.

The Retrievers responded with three of their own in the fifth on an RBI groundout by freshman third baseman Jessica Warner (Huntingtown, Va./Huntingtown) and a two-run homer by Culotta, her ninth of the season, to pull to within 5-3. UMBC then made it a one-run game in the sixth when senior center fielder Lynn Pronobis (Waldorf, Md./McDonough) drove in junior first baseman Katie Ferguson (North East, Md./North East/Cecil CC) with a two-out single. Ferguson had doubled to lead off the inning.

But with two outs in the bottom of the inning, Longwood first baseman Courtney Long singled and catcher Brittany Matthews followed with a home run to put the Lancers on top, 7-4.

UMBC senior Stephanie Weigman (Elkridge, Md./Archbishop Spalding) suffered the loss to fall to 16-13 on the season. She allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits in the six-inning complete game. Briana Wells (30-12) earned the win after giving up four runs on four hits and four walks in seven innings.

Ferguson collected two of UMBC’s four hits to pace the Retrievers offensively.