The UMBC Retrievers used some great pitching and timely hitting on Saturday, sweeping past the Maine Black Bears 1-0 and 3-1 in a doubleheader of America East softball action at Kessock Field in Orono.
In game one- A pitching duel between Kaya Matter for UMBC and Emily Reid for Maine saw the game go scoreless for the first two innings. Karl Keating made the difference by leading off the top of the third with a solo homerun for the Retrievers. The Black Bears were held to just two hits, one each from Izzy Nieblas and Keely Clark. Matter (13-1) went the distance for the win not allowing a walk and striking out 10. Reid (2-9) went the first 4.0 innings in taking the loss allowing one run on four hits with two walks. Alexandria Gruitch pitched a final 3.0 innings scoreless that kept Maine in the game.
In game two- UMBC took an early 1-0 lead on a two out solo homer by Courtney Coppersmith in the first inning. Maine got their only run of the day unearned in the fourth. Grace McGouldrick singled with one out, stole second, and then with two outs scored on an error by the Retrievers third baseman Anna Lonchar on a ball hit by Kelby Drews. The score would stay 1-1 and go into extra innings. In the ninth inning, Lonchar walked to lead off and then an error by Black Bears right fielder Mariah Pearson on a ball hit by Madison Wilson put runners on second and third with no outs. Lonchar would score on a wild pitch by Caitlyn Fallon, and Wilson would end up scoring on a sacrifice fly by Casey Turner that was enough to finish off the doubleheader sweep. McGouldrick had two hits to lead Maine, and Fallon (2-2) went the distance in the circle and took the loss allowing three runs (only one earned) on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Coppersmith (5-2) also went the distance for UMBC to get the pitching win allowing four hits, no earned runs, with one walk and 16 strikeouts. Sierra Pierce had four hits, as the Retrievers improve to 23-6 and 8-2 in America East.
Maine is now 5-29 on the season, 1-6 in conference play and will host UMBC in the series finale on Sunday at 11 a.m.
