North East, MD - Two days after scoring a massive conference win against Chesapeake College, the Howard Community College Dragons were stunned by conference rivals Cecil College in a doubleheader sweep.

The Dragons fell victim to a pitchers duel gone sour in game one, then struggled to respond against Cecil's bats in game two. Despite excellent pitching performances from Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales) and Sophia Steele (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty), the losses drop the Dragons to 6-7 on the season and 1-3 in conference play.

Game One: Seahawks 4, Dragons 0
Game one was a pitchers duel between Howard's Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales) and Cecil's Gianna Dougherty. Both pitchers were excellent, with Webb striking out five batters across a complete game. Dougherty struck out 13, and the game remained a 0-0 tie deep into the contest. The closest the Dragons came to scoring came in the top of the fourth, where Morgan Ryan (Laurel, MD/Atholton) advanced to third on a Madison Falby (Laurel, MD/Reservoir) groundout. However, Micah Howell (Columbia, MD/Atholton) grounded out to end the inning, keeping the game scoreless.

Cecil finally broke the stalemate in the bottom of the sixth, scoring off an RBI double to take a 1-0 lead. Another run scored off a fielder's choice, followed by a third run via a throwing error. One last RBI single made it 4-0 Seahawks, and the Dragons could only get one on base in the seventh to try and start a comeback.

Courtney Johnson (Fulton, MD/Reservoir) provided the only consistent offense for the Dragons, recording three hits and a double. Giana Sablan (Hagatna, Guam/Academy of Our Lady of Guam) had two hits and reached on a hit-by-pitch, while Webb pitched a complete game with five strikeouts and just two earned runs.

Game Two: Seahawks 7, Dragons 5
Game two got off to a rough start, with Cecil taking a 3-0 lead off a three-run home run by Briana Rebman. The Dragons defense clamped down after the early score, not allowing a single run through the next two innings. A Courtney Johnson (Fulton, MD/Reservoir) moonshot home run brought a run home in the top of the third, and Howard tied things up on a bizarre sequence in the fourth. Giana Sablan (Hagatna, Guam/Academy of Our Lady of Guam) hit what should have been a groundout, but a throwing error sent her to second. A second straight throwing error allowed Sablan to reach third, scoring Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales). Sablan then scored on a Sophia Steele (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) groundout to make it a 3-3 ball game.

Cecil finally responded in the bottom of the fourth, scoring off a fielding error by Morgan Ryan (Laurel, MD/Atholton). The Seahawks kept the rally going in the fifth, scoring three more runs to take a 7-3 lead. Once again the Dragons battled back, getting within two off an RBI double by Sophia Steele (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) and an RBI single from Morgan Ryan (Laurel, MD/Atholton). A shakeup of the defensive lineup allowed the Dragons to shut down Cecil's offense in the bottom of the inning, giving them a chance at redemption in the seventh. But behind relief help from game one winner Gianna Dougherty, the Seahawks shut down the side to end the contest, handing Howard a shocking sweep.

Giana Sablan (Hagatna, Guam/Academy of Our Lady of Guam) was the offensive leader for the Dragons in game two, scoring two runs and two hits. Courtney Johnson (Fulton, MD/Reservoir) recorded two hits and the only Dragon home run of the series. Sophia Steele (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) pitched a complete game, recording seven strikouts while also hitting two RBIs and a double. Madison Falby (Laurel, MD/Reservoir) stole the only base of the day for the Dragons.

Howard next faces their first of four straight doubleheaders on Tuesday with a 3:00 PM home match against the SUNY Orange Colts!