WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Hartford softball team dropped the final two games of its three-game weekend set against UMBC. The Hawks lost game one, 3-1, before falling in game two to the Retrievers, 11-3 after six innings. Hartford drops to 12-19 overall and 1-5 in conference play on the season while UMBC moves up to 19-6 and 4-2 against conference opponents. 
 
UMBC 3, HARTFORD 1
Hartford's, Julianna Kocenski, and UMBC's, Kya Matter, were locked in a pitcher's duel in game one, allowing just one and two runners to advance into scoring position throughout the first 3.5 innings, respectively. The Hawks opened up the scoring in the bottom half of the fourth where Mara Sczecienski launched a solo homerun over the left field fence. The Retrievers answered right away with two runs in the top of the fifth to take the lead, before tacking on one more run in the seventh. Despite opening up the scoring, Hartford would fall in game one by a final score of, 3-1.
 
UMBC 11, HARTFORD 3 (6 Inn.)
UMBC jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after the first inning of game two. The Retrievers would tack on six more runs in the second, bringing their lead over the Hawks to 10-0 heading into the bottom half of the frame. Hartford was able to get three runs back in the fifth, starting off with Chandler Mitchell splitting the gap in left center for an RBI double plating Samantha Ganaden for the first run of the game. Haley Cassidy followed Mitchell's double with an RBI triple off the wall out to right center, which was then accompanied by a Jordan Nastos RBI single into shallow left, bringing the score to 10-3. Unable to answer the run that was scored in the sixth by UMBC, Hartford dropped game two, 11-3. 
 
NEWS AND NOTES

• Kocenski (6-9) got the start in game one of the doubleheader
• She took the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits and walk while striking out four batters over 7.0 full innings of work
• Sczecienski blasted her team leading fourth homerun of the season in game one
• Lauren Card (0-6) took the loss in game two after getting the start and allowing eight runs on seven hits over 1.1 innings 
• Caylee English and Alyssa Viscardo each entered the in relief in game two
• Viscardo recorded her first strikeout on the season
• Cassidy had an outstanding day at the plate, going 4-for-6 with one triple, one RBI and one run scored

 
NEXT ON TAP
The Hawks return to the diamond on Wednesday at Yale to compete against the Bulldogs in a single game midweek contest. First pitch from the Yale Softball Field is set for 3 p.m.