University of Maryland Baltimore County freshman phenom Courtney Coppersmith turned in an amazing pitching performance against the University of Maine in Saturday’s America East doubleheader.
Even so, the Black Bears received a three-hit shutout from sophomore right-hander Kyleigh O’Donnell in the second game to salvage a split in Baltimore.
UMaine won the nightcap 4-0 after Coppersmith pitched a 17-strikeout no-hitter in the Retrievers’ 7-0 triumph in the opener. She tied her own school record for strikeouts.
She tossed a perfect game against Binghamton in her previous outing.
UMBC is 18-13 overall, 3-2 in America East, while UMaine is 8-19 and 1-4, respectively.
Left-hander Coppersmith, already a two-time America East Pitcher and Rookie of the Week, came on in relief in the second game after UMaine had pushed across four, third-inning runs against Gillian McCarthy. She pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-hit, 11-strikeout ball, giving her 28 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings on the day.
O’Donnell (2-4) struck out eight and walked just one and the Black Bears scored four runs, all unearned, in the third inning.
Maddie Kimble reached on an error and moved to third on a pair of wild pitches before Brianna Neely singled her home. Neely went to second on an error, stole third and scored on Amanda McBurnie’s double.
Following a walk, a wild pitch and Keely Clark’s infield single, Maddie Decker hit a two-run single to right.
In the opener, Coppersmith (13-6) walked three to go with her 17 strikeouts.
The Retrievers broke the game open with five, fourth-inning runs, all coming with two outs.
Imani Dawson and Julia Keffler each had two-run singles and Maddie Daigneau capped the rally with an RBI single.
Kaly Winslow had a two-run homer and single and Keffler also had two hits.