GAME 1

The Short Story:  The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team looked to bounce back on Friday by taking on Morgan State in a MEAC doubleheader. The Hawks jumped out early before MSU escaped with late runs to take the first of two games on the afternoon.

THE GAME FACTS
Score: Morgan State, UMES 4
Location: Baltimore, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• It was a hot start for UMES as Jaycee Holt led off the top of the first with a single before Nola Mountain reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Ameenah Ballenger hit a deep single to the outfield that allowed both Mountain and Holt to score and put the Hawks ahead 2-0.
• Neither team was able to plate any runs in the second, third, or even fourth innings. In the top of the fifth, with one out, Mountain hit a triple before scoring on a McKenzie Abiley sacrifice fly to right field. Kelsie Ekstrom immediately followed up with the second UMES triple of the frame and would come around and score on another single by Ballenger, putting UMES ahead 4-0.
• The Bears would finally get on the board in the bottom of the fifth with a trio of runs off a pair of hits and a pair of Hawk errors, cutting the lead down to 4-3.
• With runners on first and second, a Bear double to the outfield allowed one run to score in the bottom of the sixth, tying the score up at 4-4 as the teams headed into the final inning.
• With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Bears were able to push across a walk-off run to take the game 5-4.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Both Holt and Ballenger had two hits in the contest while Mountain Abiley Ekstrom each added one.
• Two of the runs were scored by Mountain with Holt and Ekstrom scoring the other two.
• To go along with Ballengers two singles, she collected three RBIs.
• Ballenger started the game in the circle and struck out five while not allowing a walk.

GAME 2

The Short Story:  The second game of the MEAC doubleheader was all Bears as MSU would claim the day's sweep with a 9-0 shutout.

THE GAME FACTS
Score: Morgan State 9, UMES 0
Location: Baltimore, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bears scored in each of the first four innings, starting with a pair in the bottom of the first on a pair of hits, taking a 2-0 lead.
• The second inning was not any friendly to UMES as Morgan State used five-straight hits including a double to played four more runs, extending their lead to 6-0.
• Three more MSU hits came in the bottom of the third which equaled two more runs, putting the home team ahead 8-0 after three complete innings.
• The Bears were able to score one more run in the bottom of the fourth with two outs before the Hawks closed out frame. 
• Unable to score in the top of the fifth, the Bears took the game 9-0 in five innings. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Katelyn Smitchko collected the lone hit for the Hawks while also starting in the circle for the first time this season, taking the loss.

UP NEXT

• Due to the weather along the east coast on Saturday, the team with conclude their series on Sunday, with a single game. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.