VESTAL, N.Y. – The UMBC Retrievers have three-peated as America East softball champions. Courtney Coppersmith capped off a nearly perfect weekend in the circle for the Retrievers as she fired a one-hit shutout and the offense scored single runs in each of the first four innings to lead the top-seeded Retrievers to a 4-0 win over second-seeded UAlbany on Saturday afternoon at Binghamton’s Bearcats Softball Complex to win the league title once again.
UMBC, the first America East team to win three championships in a row since UAlbany completed the feat from 2006-08, will learn its NCAA fate during the selection show, which is set for Sunday, May 15 at 7 p.m. The NCAA Softball Championship Selection Show will be televised on ESPN2.
The Retrievers did not allow the entire tournament, becoming the first America East team to ever run through the tournament without allowing a run.
Coppersmith was named the championship’s Most Outstanding Player for the second time in her career, becoming the fifth player in league history to earn the honor twice. For the tournament, the league’s Pitcher of the Year threw 17 scoreless innings on just two hits and struck out 35.
UMBC (31-10) wasted no time getting on the scoreboard plating a run in the first. Karly Keating, an All-Championship team selection, led off with a double and scored on Ashely Della Guardia’s run-scoring single.
Anna Lonchar added to the Retrievers’ lead in the second, blasting a deep solo home run to center field making it 2-0.
Megan Dempsey singled and scored in the third to give UMBC a 3-0 lead. Dempsey again factored in the scoring in the fourth, delivering a run-scoring single to give her team a 4-0 lead.
Coppersmith capped off the game getting a fly ball to center field to end it. She finished the day by allowing just one hit, one walk and striking out 14.
Coppersmith and Keating were joined on the All-Championship team by teammates Ashley Della Guardia and Logan Hawker, UAlbany’s Emma Adams, Wendy Hammond and Miranda Jimenez, UMass Lowell’s Kaylie See and Lea White, Binghamton’s Chloe Morgan and Sophia Pappas, Hartford’s Haley Cassidy and Maine’s Kelby Drews.
Re-live the tournament by visiting Championship Central for visit for box scores and recaps in addition to team information, tournament history and more.
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