SPARTANBURG, South Carolina — After losing each of their first five games due to rain, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team finally had the chance to make their debut on Friday evening. The Hawks fell to Holy Cross in the abbreviated first day of the Spartan Classic, 14-5.
"We did our job at the plate today," Hawks coach Karla Ross said. "However, we made too many mental and physical errors in crucial moments. For our first outing, I saw a lot of promise."
UMES went after the Crusaders early, plating the first run of the game and four in their first six outs.
Jaycee Holt led off the game for the Hawks, collecting her first career hit in her first collegiate at-bat. Morea Hodge reached on a fielder's choice, and a single from Kelsie Ekstrom moved her to third.
Ameenah Ballenger grounded out to the pitcher in the next at-bat, but it was enough to drive in Hodge for her first RBI of the season.
Holy Cross responded with a first-inning tally of their own, but UMES pieced together another rally in the second frame.
A two-out error gave the Hawks runners on first and second before Holt notched her second hit to load the bases. Morea Hodge put the ball in play in her second plate appearance, and that was enough as the second Crusader miscue of the inning plated two for UMES. An Ekstrom double scored Holt as well, giving the Hawks a 4-1 advantage.
From there, the Crusaders took hold of the contest. Holy Cross rattled off a six-run second inning and added four more over the next two frames, leading 11-4 heading into the fifth.
An RBI-single from Katelyn Smitchko scored Ryan Merriwether to bring the margin to six, but Holy Cross added three more in the bottom of the inning to spread the difference to nine and invoke the eight-run rule.
Holt and Ekstrom each recorded two hits in the loss, with Ekstrom also logging a walk and RBI. Ballenger, Smitchko and Merriwether all collected base-knocks on the night. Hodge led the way with two runs-driven in.
Ballenger (0-1) received the loss, pitching 2.1 frames and allowing eight earned with one strikeout. Smitchko's debut on the mound saw her pitch 2.1 innings as well, allowing five earned with one punch-out.
The Hawks play just one game on Day Two of the Spartan Classic on Saturday (February 18), facing off against tournament hosts USC Upstate at 3 p.m. before games against George Mason and South Carolina State on Sunday (February 19).
