Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)

BALTIMORE, MD. - Behind a gutty pitching performance from Dale McNeal, the Lady Bison softball team beat UMBC, 2-1, in game two of a double header on Wednesday afternoon at UMBC Softball Stadium. The win snapped a eight game losing streak for Howard.

The Bison won game two on a home run by Brianne Gutierrez with two outs to improve their record to 1-8 on the season while the Retrievers fell to 4-8.

McNeal started shaky, allowing a lead-off homerun in the second inning to put UMBC up 1-0, but later settled in and kept the Retrievers off the scoreboard over the remainder of the game.

In the top of the seventh, Sondra Jones struck out swinging to lead the inning off before Courtney Young reached base via walk. Kristina Cordova had a sac fly in the next at bat, moving Young to second base and setting the stage for Gutierrez. The senior homered to send two runs across the plate, giving HU a 2-1 lead. UMBC would not score in the bottom of the seventh inning, helping Howard to their first win of the 2008 campaign.

In the opener, freshman Jessica Hurston gave up nine hits and nine runs as the Retreivers picked up a 14-6 win over the Bison. Mya Spencer went 2-3 with a pair of runs in that decision while Candice Tatum also finished 2-3 and picked up one run and one RBI. Emily Johnson had a 1-2 outing with two RBI and one run.

Howard faces off with Norfolk State on Friday in a doubleheader beginning at 1pm in Norfolk, Va.