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BALTIMORE, Md. – The University of Hartford softball team packs up its bags for a pivotal three-game weekend set with the UMBC Retrievers. The conference foes will kick-off the series with two games on Saturday, April 30 (1:00 p.m.) before playing a single game on Sunday, May 1 (12:00 p.m.).
Hartford (7-30, 2-10 America East) is coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of Boston University last weekend as the Terriers combined to outscore the Hawks, 29-4. Hartford dropped 11-2 and 9-2 decisions on Sunday before falling in five innings on Monday by a 9-0 final score.
The Hawks, who had won four of six decisions prior to last weekend's conference set, are looking to snap a four-game skid and position themselves to secure one of four spots in the upcoming America East Tournament. With a pair of conference series remaining on the 2011 schedule, Hartford is still alive as it continues its hunt for the program's first postseason appearance since 2007.
Sophomore Nicole Springer paces the Hawks with a .300 average at the plate (30-for-100) and leads the team in doubles (8) and RBIs (20). The designated player has struck out just 12 times, the fewest of any Hawk with at least 25 at-bats.
Classmate Kate Wacyk ranks second on the team with a batting average of .295. In 88 at-bats, she has belted out 26 hits including a team-best three triples and four homers, good for a .534 slugging percentage. The third baseman also tops the team in walks with 18.
UMBC comes into the conference clash 22-21 (5-10 AE) on the season having dropped a three-game series at Albany before scoring a doubleheader sweep at La Salle earlier this week. The Retrievers are batting .288 as a team and are holding their opponents to an identical .288 average. Veteran Julia Culotta paces the Retrievers and ranks among the conference top-five with a .395 batting average (47-of-119). The senior right-handed hitter leads the team in runs (34), RBIs (31), and walks (28) and is slugging at a clip of .672. Seventeen of Culotta's 47 hits have gone for extra bases including nine doubles and eight homers.
As a team, UMBC's pitching staff boasts a 3.66 ERA led by senior righty Stephanie Weigman. With a record of 14-12, the veteran has posted the most wins in the America East thus far and ranks second in the league with 121 strikeouts. Additionally, Weigman owns a 3.36 ERA and has held opponents to a team-low .273 batting average in 148 innings. Sophomore Heather Brown has struck out 33 batters in 63.2 innings. She enters this weekend's series with four wins under her belt and a 4.07 ERA in eight starts and 21 appearances.
