GAME 1

The Short Story:  The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team took to the field on Saturday afternoon for the first of two games on the day. However, the outcome was not what they had hoped for as the Hawks dropped a 15-1, 5-inning loss to the Bulldogs of Samford.

THE GAME FACTS
Score: Samford 15, UMES 1
Location: Florence, Ala.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bulldogs took control in the top of first with four runs. 
• Samford would add one more in the third and two more in the fourth. However in the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs tallied eight more to take a 15-0 lead heading into the bottom of the inning. 
• After Ameenah Ballenger reached base with a hit, Ava Fleming collected her first hit of the season to score Ballenger. However it was not enough to keep the game going.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Ballenger, Fleming and Morea Hodge all had hits for the Hawks.

GAME 2

The Short Story:  In a rematch from the day before, UMES took on the host Lions of North Alabama. Despite scoring three in the top of the first, the Hawks dropped the evening game to NAU, 11-3.

THE GAME FACTS
Score: North Alabama 11, UMES 3
Location: Florence, Ala.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• With two outs in the top of the first, after reaching on a walk earlier, Hodge stole second. Kelsie Ekstrom the followed up with a double down the left field line that pushed Hodge all the way home to put the Hakws up 1-0. On the next at bat, Ballenger screamed a home run over the left center field fence to score two RBIs as UMES took a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first.
• The Lions would add an unearned run in the bottom of the frame to cut into the Hawks lead, 3-1.
• NAU would take the lead in the bottom of the third when they scored four runs on four hits. They added three more on five hits in the bottom of the fifth for the 8-3 lead. 
• The Lions got the walk off in the bottom of the fifth after scoring one earlier in the frame, they hit a two-run home run to cap the comeback. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Ekstrom and Ballenger had the two Hawk hits. 

GAME 3

The Short Story:  The Hawks looked to rebound in their final game of the weekend on Sunday but saw the Golden Eagles of Southern Mississippi finish with a 10-1 win over UMES

THE GAME FACTS
Score: Southern Miss. 10, UMES 1
Location: Florence, Ala.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Golden Eagles led off the top of the first with a home run to take an immediate 1-0 lead. They then used four hits in the top of the second to score four more runs for the 5-0 lead.
• Ekstrom got the Hawks on the board in the bottom of the frame when she lef off with a home run to right center, cutting the lead down to 5-1.
• After a scoreless third and fourth for both teams, USM took advantage of a Hawk error to add three runs to the board for the 8-1 lead.
• The team from the Magnolia State added two more in the top of sixth before holding off the Hawks in the bottom of the frame as the Golden Eagles claimed the 10-1 win.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Ekstrom and Nola Mountain had the two Hawk hits. 

UP NEXT

• The Hawks return to the road on Wednesday, March 13 when they travel to face George Washington. First pitch of the doubleheader with the Colonials is scheduled for 12 p.m. in Washington, D.C.