WEST HARTFORD, CT ? The University of Hartford softball team dropped its America East opener to UMBC by a 7-1 final on Saturday afternoon at the UH Softball Field.

UMBC (11-16 overall, 1-0 AE) scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back, tacking on three more in the second and another in the third. Hartford (11-3 overall, 0-1 AE) managed only three hits off Retrievers pitcher Amanda Fefel, though the one run came in the seventh on a solo homer by junior Kristen Cericola.

Fefel finished with 11 strikeouts and three walks to even her record at 4-4 on the season. Hartford sophomore Brittney Stratton endured her worst outing of the season, allowing seven runs on seven hits while walking five and hitting four batters. She dropped to 7-1 overall in the circle.

UMBC had one on with two out in the first when Stratton began to struggle finding the strike zone. A walk and a hit batter loaded the bases for the Retrievers, and Krista Kearns plated the first run with an RBI single. Another hit batter and a walk brought in the final two runs before Stratton got a pop up to end the inning.

The Retrievers got all their runs in the second on a three-run homer by Ashley Gray. Dana Shepherd and Fefel got on base with back-to-back singles before Gray brought them all around with her fourth homer of the spring. UMBC scored its final run of the game in the third on a solo homer by Shepherd.

Fefel wouldn't need all the run support. After allowing a hit in the first inning, she then retired 19 of the next 21 batters without allowing a hit. Cericola touched her up for the homer in the seventh, followed by a walk by sophomore Ann Kyzer and a single by junior Jackie Simonetty. Fefel, however, closed out the game with her 11th strikeout.

Hartford and UMBC will finish its weekend series with a doubleheader on Sunday at the UH Softball Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.