PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — After seeing their opponent rally back from four runs down in the final inning, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team used a walk-off RBI double from sophomore Julia Garcia to win their game 6-5 on Saturday (April 9) against the Coppin State University Eagles.
The Hawks (13-21, 9-1 MEAC) scored the first run of the game in the opening inning. Sophomore Tatum Kresley had a bunt single and then stole second base to get into scoring position. After two outs came on the next two batters, Kresley then stole second and an error by Coppin State on the play allowed her to score and put the team up 1-0.
Coppin State tied the game at one in the top of the third, but Eastern Shore scored two in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead. Sophomore Ah-Nayia Oglesby drew a leadoff walk and that was followed by back to back singles from Kresley and junior Tyanna Roberts to load the bases.
Garcia followed that by singling to center field to score Oglesby. Sophomore Kelsie Ekstrom then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring Kresley home. The Shore led 3-1 and held that until the fifth inning.
During the fifth frame, the Hawks scored another two runs similar to how they scored in the third. Ekstrom hit her second sacrifice fly of the game to score Kresley for the first run of the inning. Sophomore Ryan Merriwether came up after that and singled to left field to score Roberts. The Shore would hold a 5-1 advantage until the seventh inning.
The Eagles came into the seventh with only three hits in the game. They would get four hits in the final inning to rally back. They would tie the game at five before stranding runners on first and second and send the game into the bottom of the inning.
Roberts hit a single through the left side of the infield to lead the frame. Garcia was next in the batter's box and she crushed a double to left center. The Coppin State outfielders ran and retreated the ball quickly, but they could not get the ball in fast enough as Roberts slid into home to give the team the dramatic win.
Garcia's double was her 12th double of the season. That number ties her for the most doubles in a season for any Hawks player in the last 25 years. She sits four behind Kim Osbourne's record of 16 from 1996.
Kresley and Roberts combined for five hits and five runs in the game at the top of the lineup for the Hawks. Ekstrom and Garcia each had two RBI in the game. Graduate student Nasya Goodman threw six innings in the circle and struck out six batters.
The Hawks and Eagles will finish their series tomorrow (April 10) with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
