Ellicott City, MD - Howard softball hosted the Cougars of Frederick Community College for their home finale of the regular season. The Dragons took the loss against the cougars on Wednesday afternoon, with final scores of 14-8 and 21-12. 

Game One
A scoreless first inning on both sides, but trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the second, the Dragons answered back pushing in two runs of their own, made possible by Holly Ryan (Elkridge, MD/Long Reach) after a piece of the scoreboard, and running in Micah Howell (Columbia, MD/Atholton) on first  for the 2-1 lead at the end of the second. 

The Cougar offense found their rhythm and able to jump ahead with 7 successful runs in the third and held the Dragons to none. Howard able to hold Frederick to no run, before getting back on the board themselves in the bottom of the fourth, trailing 8-6. Another scoreless inning for the Cougars as the Dragons tack on a run on Ryan's one-out home run to stay in striking range.  

One run each from the Dragons and Cougars in the sixth, highlighted by a home run from Taylor Pence (Mt. Airy, MD/Glenelg), but Frederick able to expand the gap with five runs of their own and take advantage of the Dragons errors. Howard unable to answer back with runs of their own against Frederick and take the game one loss, 14-8. 

Ryan went 2-for-3 with both of her hits being home runs and 3 RBIs, and Taylor Pence (Mt. Airy, MD/Glenelg) followed Ryan, going 2-for-3 as well, with a home run of her own and 2 RBIs. 

Game Two
Trailing 3-0, Howard chips away at the gap after a Pence RBI run in by Alyssa Kelly (Laurel, MD/Reservoir), and sacrificing the final out. Cougars push back, scoring five more runs in the second, but the Dragons continuing to battle and tack on two runs, highlighted by a 2 RBI single from Madeline Lackey (Manchester, MD/Manchester Valley). 

Frederick continuing to move up the ladder with three added runs in the third, while the Dragons only able to answer with one off the bat of Giana Sablan (Guam/Our Lady of Guam). A number of errors on defense for the Dragons, and the Cougars able to take control and push across eight runs in the fourth, and again Howard only able to answer back with one run made possible by a Pence double, scoring Lackey. Trailing 18-5, the Dragons certainly weren't ready to give up yet, and held Frederick to a scoreless fifth inning. 

Back on the offensive, the Dragons opened up the fifth with a 2 RBI home run, after Sablan cranks one out to left centerfield bringing home Ryan. Kelly looking to get in on the action, gets the triple and the two-out RBIs, cutting the Cougar lead in half. Lackey fired one off to centerfield for a double and an RBI, making it a 18-10 game. A few changes came from the Cougars side, re-entering their previous pitcher from game one. A two-out home run for Taylor Pence (Mt. Airy, MD/Glenelg) brought the Dragons within 8 after she scored Lackey as well. But a final fly ball out to centerfield would call the game for the Dragons, for a final score of 21-12. 

Kelly went 3-for-4 with a double and triple, along with 2 RBIs in the loss against the Cougars. Pence followed, going 2-for-3, with 4 RBIs and a home run, and Sablan aslo finished 2-for-3, with a home run of her own and 2 RBI. 

Howard softball will complete the regular season with a non-conference doubleheader in Blackwood, NJ, taking on the Cougars of Camden County on Wednesday, May 1st at 3 PM.