BALTIMORE, Md. – For the second time in as many outings, junior transfer Zuzana Kudernatschova shut down the offense of the UMBC Retrievers to help lead the University of Hartford softball team to an extra-inning, 2-0 win in America East action. Senior Kate Wacyk recorded the eventual game-winning RBI in the top of the eighth to propel the Hawks to the series sweep and push her team's record in league action to 8-7 and 19-29 overall.

With just one weekend remaining in America East Conference action and of the 2013 regular season, the Hawks have secured a spot for the upcoming championships, marking the program's first appearance in the postseason since 2007.

Improving her mark to 12-12 on the year, Kudernatschova, who had a no-hitter going through five, saw her lone hit of the contest come to Taylor Hall in the bottom of the sixth inning. Until that point, just five Retrievers reached base on three walks, a fielder's choice and an error.

In that frame, UMBC (9-20, 1-17 AE) had runners on first and second with no outs on a walk from Danielle O'Neill and a Hall's single. Kudernatschova was able to pick up a key strikeout and followed that up by inducing Caitlin Chance into an inning-ended double play to get out of the frame.

The Hawks threatened in the next at-bats, leading off the top of the seventh with a Jackie Kelly double. The scoreless outing continued, however, as UMBC pitcher Heather Brown, retired the next three Hartford batters in order to prevent the first run from reaching the scoreboard.

Kudernatschova and the Hartford defense clamped down in the bottom of the seventh, putting down the Retrievers, one, two, three to force extra innings. That's when the offense picked up for Hartford as it notched back-to-back singles in the top of the eighth from Erica Phelps and Amber Andrews and made it runners on second and third with a pair of stolen bases.

With one out, a dribbler down the middle off the infield off the bat of Wacyk brought Phelps home to break open the 0-0 deadlock and put the visitor's out in front, 1-0. One more run was added to the Hawks' count as a wild pitch plated Andrews to push the advantage to 2-0 before the end of the inning.

Kudernatschova continued her rally into UMBC's final at-bats, earning her second shutout of the series by retirning the last three Retrievers she faced.

Kelly finished with two hits on the afternoon, notching the lone extra base hit of the game.

The Hawks play their final non-conference games on the road on Thur., May 2 when they travel to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to take on the Marist Red Foxes for a pair of games. First pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 2:30 p.m.