Chesapeake grad is key for the Towson softball team

The record streak of Cal Ripken, Jr. is safe. But Erika Stasch, a junior on the softball team at Towson University, has her own impressive Iron Woman streak going. She started all 56 games as a freshman at Towson and all 56 games last year as a sophomore for the Tigers.

 The Chesapeake High graduate started the first 14 games this year and hit .216 in 37 at bats with a double, a triple, a homer and four runs batted in.

Last season she earned Colonial Athletic Association player of the week honors in March when she hit .538 with five runs and five RBIs during a five-game stretch. She hit her first career triple and home run during that week. She ended the year with 31 runs, which tied for the team lead. Stasch had four hits in four at bats in one game against Bethune-Cookman. She had six steals in six tries and a fielding percentage of .978.

As a freshman she was an all-CAA rookie pick and ended the year with seven doubles and she drove in two runs in a win over Delaware.

She played center field for three years for the Cougars of Chesapeake and helped the squad to a Class 4A state title as a junior and senior. She hit .362 as a junior. Starch also played soccer and basketball in high school and played club softball for the Severna Park Hornets.

Women's lacrosse players at UMBC

The women's lacrosse team at UMBC includes Chesapeake High grads C.J. Durham, Kristen Milligan and Amanda Pappas. The team began the season Feb. 11 with a 19-7 win over George Mason and won three of its first five games. All three players are seniors. Durham, a defender, started the first five games. Pappas, a midfielder, started three of the first five games and had six goals and one assist. Milligan, a midfielder/defender, started four of the first five games.