LOCATION: The Diamond at UMBC - Baltimore, Md.
RECORDS: UAlbany 16-18, 6-4 America East | UMBC 15-22, 9-3 America East
SHORT STORY: The Great Danes came back from a five-run deficit to win the first game of the doubleheader but UMBC finished the weekend with the series victory after winning the final game, Sunday.
GAME ONE
SCORE: UAlbany 8, UMBC 6
KEY STATS
- Junior Sara Anderson went 2-3 and scored two runs.
- Sophomore Mary Kate Murray led the team with two RBI.
- Redshirt-senior Victoria Vilarchao slammed a double for one RBI.
- Eight of the Great Dane starters tallied at least one hit.
- Redshirt-senior Kate Powers pitched a complete game with six strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Retrievers opened the game strong with five runs in the first inning alone.
- UAlbany gradually made its way to closing the scoring gap with two runs in the second and third innings.
- With two outs on the board and freshman Charlotte Lomb on second base, sophomore Taylor Quinn singled and senior Caitlyn Frederick walked to load the bases.
- Mary Kate Murray hit a single deep into centerfield to bring in two runs. As Frederick ran for a possible third run, Murray was called out at second to end the inning.
- Retiring the Retrievers in order, including two strikeouts from pitcher Kate Powers, UAlbany was back in the dugout.
- The Great Danes once again scored with two outs on board; this time in three consecutive hits from Sara Anderson, Victoria Vilarchao, and Lomb.
- After Anderson got on base with a single, Vilarchao brought her home with an RBI double. Lomb followed with an RBI single to bring Vilarchao home for the Great Danes' fourth run.
- Both teams went scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings.
- Senior Christie Collins quickly made it to second base off a single and a stolen base to open the sixth inning.
- As the defense made an error, Quinn was safe at first and Collins took advantage to score a run.
- UAlbany's sixth run was scored with two outs on the board as junior Deanna Grahek brought in Frederick from second base with a single to right field.
- On top of their game, the Great Dane defense once again retired the UMBC batters in order in the bottom of the sixth.
- For the fourth time, UAlbany scored two runs in an inning to take an 8-5 lead after the top of the seventh.
- With two runners on, a wild pitch put both Anderson and freshman Ava Beal in scoring position.
- Collins (fielder's choice) and Quinn (sac fly) earned an RBI each as Anderson and Beal crossed home for the run.
- UMBC loaded the bases with their first three batters in the bottom of the seventh.
- Grahek and redshirt-sophomore Natasha Mendez turned a double play but the Retrievers scored one run.
- After a final groundout to Grahek, the final score was in UAlbany's favor, 8-6.
GAME TWO
SCORE: UMBC 5, UAlbany 1
KEY STATS
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Taylor Quinn singled up the middle to get the batting started in the top of the first.
- She quickly made it to third with two stolen bases but was left on when the third out was tallied.
- UMBC scored first with a home run in the bottom of the first.
- Held scoreless through the second and third innings, the Retrievers added three runs in the bottom of the fourth.
- After a walk in the top of the sixth, Jenny Nardelli stood ready at first base, pinch-running for Mary Kate Murray.
- Deanna Grahek hit a double into left field so deep it was almost a home run to bring Nardelli home for an RBI.
- UMBC answered and extended their lead with a fifth run in the bottom of the sixth.
- UAlbany Sara Anderson (single) and Ava Beal (walk) got on base in the top of the seventh but it was enough as the Retrievers tallied three strikeouts to end the inning, and the game, 5-1.
NEXT: The Great Danes are set to host five games within the next week - a doubleheader against Le Moyne (Apr. 16) and a weekend series against Maine (Apr. 19-20).
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