CONWAY, SC – A four-run fourth inning for the UMBC Retrievers propelled them to a victory over the Iona College softball team in the 2020 season opener. Sophomore Jessica Chilcott finished 2-4 at the dish with a triple, homerun, two runs batted in and two runs scored.

GAME SUMMARY

Freshman Allie Taylor began her collegiate career with a leadoff single, scoring on Chilcott's homerun to left field. Two batters and six pitches into the game, Iona led 2-0. Jasmine Temple worked a walk but was doubled off of first after DiGuilio's line drive was caught by the shortstop.
 
With two outs and no one on base, Natalia Meray doubled to left center and came around to score on Brianna Buck's two-bagger to the opposite field. Kara Zazzaro, batting for herself in the seven hole, struck out swinging to end the top of the first frame.
 
Zazzaro struck out the first batter she faced, but surrendered a double to Courtney Coppersmith. She advanced to third on a wild pitch and would come home with the Retrievers' first run of the game after a two-out single by Anna Lonchar. UMBC managed just the one run.
 
Taylor worked a 12-pitch walk with two outs in the top of the second inning, but was stranded at first after Chilcott grounded out to short.
 
The bottom of the second began with a leadoff single for Maddie Daigneau. She stole second and then moved over to third base on a groundout. Temple helped out her pitcher, fielding a bunt and cutting down Daigneau at home, who tried to score from third on the play. Faced with a runner on third and less than two outs, Zazzaro worked out of the jam in the second.
 
The Gaels loaded the bases in the third after a two-out single by Buck and a bases on balls for Zazzaro, but Hannah Collins went down swinging to leave the ducks on the pond. Zazzaro motored through the bottom half of the frame, striking out the side on 14 pitches.
 
Madie Leach retired the first two batters of the fourth inning on three pitches, but Chilcott tripled to right field and was brought around to score on a single up the middle for Temple. Ciarra DiGuilio followed with another two-out hit, the third in a row for the Maroon & Gold, but was forced out at second to end the inning.
 
Down by three runs to begin the bottom of the fourth, UMBC scored four runs and took the lead. The Retrievers strung together four straight singles to open the inning, the last of which brought home two runs. A throwing error allowed one of the two runs to score and moved runners up to second and third with no outs. 
 
Zazzaro hung in there for the moment, getting Shanel Stott to foul out and Imani Dawson to strike out looking. The go-ahead runs came around to score on Julia Keffler's triple down the left-field line.
 
Coppersmith relieved Leach in the top of the fifth, striking out the side after her team took the lead in the prior half-inning. Zazzaro set down the Retrievers in order in the bottom half of the fifth.
 
Coppersmith punched out the first two batters of the top of the sixth, victims number four and five for her in as many batters faced. Chilcott put the ball in play, but it was a pop-up that was caught at first base to end the inning.
 
Alana Evans entered in relief of Zazzaro in the bottom of the sixth, making her first appearance since May 5, 2018. Daigneau greeted Evans with a single to open the frame, advancing to second base on an infield throwing error. A stolen base, walk and another stolen base put Evans in hot water almost immediately. The redshirt senior was tasked with stranding runners at second and third with nobody out.
 
Stott grounded out to third base, forcing the runners to stay put. Evans struck Dawson out looking to record a much-needed second out. Behind in the count 3-1, Evans got Keffler to foul out to the left side and escape a jam, setting up her squad for a chance to take the lead in the final inning.
 
Temple went down swinging on a 3-2 pitch for the first out of the inning. DiGuilio drew a seven-pitch walk and headed to first base representing the tying run with one out. Coppersmith retired Meray and Buck via the strikeout to end the game and register her first save of the season.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Chilcott totaled seven bases on two extra-base hits. She also drove in two runs and scored two of her own.
• Buck was the only other Gael to register a multi-hit game, going 2-4 with a double and an RBI. Buck had just two multi-hit games all of last season, playing in 24 games.
• Zazzaro was saddled with the loss, allowing eight hits and five runs (four earned) in five innings of work. The sophomore struck out six patters and walked none. 
• Evans faced five batters in one inning of scoreless ball, allowing one hit, one walk and punching out one. 
• Two of Iona's runs came with two outs and three of UMBC's came with two away in an inning.
• The Retrievers were 1-7 at the dish with a runner on third and less than two outs. 
• Six of Iona's eight hits on the afternoon came with two outs. Overall, the Gaels were 6-13 (.462) with two outs.

UP NEXT

Iona returns to action tomorrow, facing the tournament host, Coastal Carolina, at 1:45 p.m. and then UMBC at 6:15 p.m.

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