SALISBURY, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team was unable to finish their doubleheader with the Howard University Bison on Sunday afternoon (March 24) at Salisbury University as darkness made it unable to the teams to complete their second matchup. The Bison won game one 7-5. The Hawks ended game two ahead 7-6 in the fifth inning.
"It was really nice to be home and playing after the long spring break on the road," head coach Karla Powell said. "It stinks that some of our field was under water but the girls adjusted to playing at Salisbury University as they have a great field."
Maryland Eastern Shore (4-15, 1-1) fell behind in game one 2-0 in the first inning, but they cut into the lead in the bottom of the inning. Senior Daeshia Jones (Teaneck, NJ) led off the inning with a single and then stole a base. Classmate Kiana Peterson (Willingboro, NJ) would reach base two batters later by error and that would allow Jones to score.
In the fourth inning, the Hawks trailed 5-1 but would cut the lead in half. Freshman Jordan Kelly (Bridgeton, NJ) singled and stole a base to get to second. Senior Breana Florez (Houston, TX) drove her in to score on a double to center field. Freshman Anissa Derifield (Woodbridge, VA) would get a pinch hit single to move Florez to third and sophomore Allison Gingrich (Landisburg, PA) would come up and ground out to the first basemen to bring Florez in to score.
One inning later, the Bison held a 6-3 lead and Eastern Shore cut into the lead again. Sophomore Stephanie Huff (Montoursville, PA) singled up the middle to score Jones to make the score 6-4. Huff got to third via a wild pitch and Peterson would hit a sacrifice fly to bring her home.
Howard scored another run in the sixth to make the score 7-5. The Shore would not respond and the score would end there. Huff led the Hawks at the plate going 2-4 with an RBI and run scored.
The second game began with both teams scoring three runs in the opening inning. Jones hit a single and Huff would follow that with a double that brought Jones in to score. Huff got to third on a wild pitch, Peterson drew a walk and advanced to second on a groundout, which led to Kelly hitting a two RBI single to tie the score at three.
Howard got a solo homer in the third and two runs in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead which led to the drama that would come in the bottom of the fifth.
Florez singled to start the inning. She advanced to second on a passed ball and third on a wild pitch. Following a pitching change, junior Kamryn Lanier (Chester, VA) drew a walk and junior Kendal Turner (Edgewood, MD) was brought in to pinch run. Allison Gingrich hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Florez and move Turner to second base. The score stood at 6-4 after the play.
Freshman Rachel Gingrich (Landisburg, PA) would hit a bloop single to center field to get runners to second and third after advancing on a throw. A groundout from the Hawks would be their second out of the inning.
Huff would then come up to bat and hit a laser to left center field to bring Turner and Rachel Gingrich in to score and tie the game at six. Peterson came up after Huff and hit a double to center field to score Huff and give the Hawks a 7-6 lead. The umpires would suspend the game at that point due to darkness. The game will be completed on April 23.
Eastern Shore will face UMBC for a midweek doubleheader in Baltimore on Wednesday (March 27) at noon. The Hawks will face Norfolk State next weekend (March 30-31) in their next conference games.
"We are starting to peak at the right time," Powell said. "Our goal from day one since I got here was to be ready for conference and our goal is to get to the tournament for the first time in 10 years."
