UMBC

Baltimore, MD – UMBC (24-17, 8-2 NEC) extended their win streak to a season-high five games as they defeated Northeast Conference rival Sacred Heart (9-24, 4-8 NEC) by scores of 8-0 and 9-1 in a doubleheader this afternoon at the UMBC Softball Stadium. The Retrievers managed to take each game from the Pioneers in just six innings.

Play was delayed by two hours due to rain, but the Retrievers came out swinging in game one. UMBC got on the board in the bottom of the first thanks to a three-run home run by sophomore Kristie Pickeral. Sophomore Amanda Bile would get a three-run homer of her own in the fourth as she hit a blast to right-center, and the Retrievers scored twice more in the bottom of the sixth to give starter Amy Sadowl (11-5) her eleventh win of the season. Sadowl gave up just two hits while striking out two to earn her second shutout victory on the year.

In game two, Sacred Heart took a brief 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI-single by Leslie Konsig. UMBC tied it in the second as Lara Seamon hit a one-out triple to left-center field, and scored on a single by junior Sarah Crowell. The Retrievers’ winning run came on Lauren Hebb’s solo shot in the third inning, and they took a 3-1 lead after senior Abbie Kahn hit an RBI-single to score senior Lisa Boone from second base. UMBC exploded for six more runs in the bottom of the sixth to seal the 9-1 victory. Freshman starter Lauren Nicholson (10-7) received the win for UMBC as she allowed just one run on six hits, while striking out three.

UMBC returns to action tomorrow, April 19, when they host Fairleigh Dickinson on Senior Day for a Northeast Conference doubleheader set to begin at 11a.m.