Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Ellicott City, MD - To kick off a packed week of softball, the Howard Community College Dragons swept the Orange County Community College Colts on Tuesday afternoon.

The Dragons made the most of their first of three straight days of softball, scoring 24 total runs across the two games and winning game one via run-rule. The Dragons had three innings where they scored five or more runs across the series, and hit four total home runs.

Game One: Dragons 13, Colts 4
The Dragons immediately went to work in the bottom of the first, scoring seven total runs and circling through the entire lineup. Courtney Johnson (Fulton, MD/Reservoir) got the Dragons on the board first by stealing home, followed quickly by an RBI double by Sophia Steele (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty). Giana Sablan (Hagatna, Guam/Academy of Our Lady of Guam) kept the pressure up with an RBI single, before Steele stole home to make it 4-0. Despite getting down to their last out of the inning, the Dragons added two more runs courtesy of a pair of RBI doubles by Micah Howell (Columbia, MD/Atholton) and Courtney Johnson (Fulton, MD/Reservoir).

Orange County got three runs back in the top of the second, but Howard kept the pressure up as Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales) scored on a ground out by Sablan. After neither team scored in the third, the Colts got a huge break off a deep home run from Hannah Moulton. It would be their last run of the afternoon, as the Dragons launched an assault in the bottom of the fourth. Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales) smacked a moonshot home run into the centerfield trees to kick off the inning, which was matched by Sophia Steele's (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) first career home run on the very next at bat. After two Dragons had got on base, Madison Falby (Laurel, MD/Reservoir) hit a deep fly ball that just cleared the fence in the left corner for her first career home run, giving Howard a 13-4 lead. Sophia Steele (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) then shut down the Orange County side to end the contest early via run-rule.

Webb finished game one with her home run, three total runs scored, two hits, and one RBI. Sophia Steele (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) pitched a complete game, recording two strikeouts while recording two stolen bases, two runs scored, three hits, and two RBIs. Giana Sablan (Hagatna, Guam/Academy of Our Lady of Guam) vaulted to the top of the Dragons batting average rankings with two runs, two hits, two RBIs, and two stolen bases. Micah Howell (Columbia, MD/Atholton) scored two runs to go along with a hit and an RBI. Courtney Johnson (Fulton, MD/Reservoir) and Madison Falby (Laurel, MD/Reservoir) each had two hits, with Falby recording three RBIs. The Dragons hit five doubles across the afternoon, eight total extra-base hits, and eight stolen bases.

Game Two: Dragons 11, Colts 9
Game two saw the Colts immediately get on the board, scoring off a bases-loaded walk. Howard was able to respond, with Sophia Steele's (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) RBI double tying the game at 1-1. Howard then took full advantage of Orange County errors in the second to build their lead. A throwing error by Orange County's third baseman allowed Micah Howell (Columbia, MD/Atholton) to score, and Madison Falby (Laurel, MD/Reservoir) joined her at home when the Colts tried to get Cassie Litchfield (Mt. Airy, MD/Glenelg) out at first unsuccessfully. A Raegan Perkes (Laurel, MD/Laurel) RBI single brought home Litchfield, despite the latter getting beaned by the throw, and Courtney Johnson's (Fulton, MD/Reservoir) expertly timed bunt brought Perkes home to make it 5-1. Howard got one last run aboard when Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales) doubled to center field to score Johnson.

A pitching change for the Dragons sent Morgan Ryan (Laurel, MD/Atholton) to the mound, and although she allowed another Orange County run, the Dragons remained in control. RBI singles from Micah Howell (Columbia, MD/Atholton) and Cassie Litchfield (Mt. Airy, MD/Glenelg) extended the Dragons lead in the third, and Howell added more runs off a two-RBI triple down the left field line. It seemed as if the Dragons would win yet again via run-rule, but a Colts home run and double-RBI single in the fifth made it a four-run game out of nowhere. A second pitching change of the game sent Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales) to the mound to close out the game. Webb got the Dragons out of a bases-loaded situation, then extended the lead with a massive home run that cleared the centerfield trees and landed in a neighborhood backyard. The Colts got three more runs in the top of the seventh to draw closer, but the game-tying run grounded out to Courtney Johnson (Fulton, MD/Reservoir) to end the contest. Despite being out-hit down the stretch, the Dragons had secured the sweep.

Webb finished the afternoon with three runs, two RBIs, two hits, a double, a home run, and her second save of the season. Madison Falby (Laurel, MD/Reservoir) recorded two runs and a stolen base. Sophia Steele (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) had two hits, a double, and an RBI, while Micah Howell (Columbia, MD/Atholton) recorded a triple, two hits, and three RBIs. Raegan Perkes (Laurel, MD/Laurel) recorded two hits, including an epic 13-pitch at-bat with eight foul balls. Morgan Ryan (Laurel, MD/Atholton) got the win with 3.1 innings pitched and two strikeouts.

The Dragons next face Corning Community College on Wednesday, Mach 19 at 3:00 PM for their second-straight doubleheader!