APRIL 27, 2009

Box Score

BALTIMORE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) softball team rallied to shut out Morgan State University 4-0 in the night cap after dropping game two of their series 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning Monday afternoon. The win improves the Lady Hawks record to 7-5 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and puts them in position to earn their first post season appearance in over five years.

UMES (20-15) trailed the majority of the first game. Kriston Gowan hit a two out triple to center for Morgan to score Devina Brown and Carolynn Howard and put the Lady Bears up 2-0 in the first inning.

The Lady Hawks mounted a rally in the sixth inning. When Megan Johnson walked the first two batters, Cassandra Carlos (Norwalk, Calif.) bunted for a single to load the bases. Chelsea Logan (Trenton, N.J.) flew out deep to center and earned the first RBI of the game for UMES on the sacrifice.

Mishayla Truttman (Gresham, Ore.) tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the seventh inning with a lead off solo shot to straight away center field. But with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, a dropped fly ball in the right allowed the game winning run to score for Morgan.

Truttman received the loss and Johnson earned the win.

The night cap proved to be a different story. Freshman pitcher Inde Whitehurst (Virginia Beach, Va.) threw a shutout allowing just four hits in a complete seven innings to earn the win.

Goose eggs all around in the finale until the fourth inning when back-to-back singles loaded the bases for the Lady Hawks. Logan then grounded out to score Truttman and Kayla Nelson (Apple Valley, Calif.) squeezed across on a passed ball to put UMES up 2-0.

Logan earned her third RBI on the day with a single over the first baseman's head in the sixth inning. And Hannah Mills (Parksley, Va.) became the season home run leader after blasting a solo shot to left field in the top of the seventh.

Ebony Hahn (Groveport, Ohio) went 4-for-6 on the day to lead UMES at the plate. Johnson received the loss for the Lady Bears.

The Lady Hawks prepare for their final MEAC contests next weekend in Washington, D.C. against Howard University. The series will decide UMES' post season fate. Scheduled May 2-3, the double-header on Saturday will begin at 1 p.m.