March 25, 2000

MARIETTA, Ga. - The Maryland softball team (17-14, 2-0 ACC) was victorious in two decisions on the second day of the Buzz Classic, finishing pool play with a 3-1 record. With that two-day total, the Terrapins earned a berth in the championship bracket round slated to begin at 8 p.m. Saturday evening. Earlier Saturday, right-handed pitcher Amanda Bettker (St. Peterburg, Fla.) shut out Mercer, 4-0, in Game 3 of pool play, before Maryland went on to defeat Coastal Carolina by an 8-3 count. The Terps had split the first day of the Buzz Classic, suffering a 14-5 loss to SW Missouri State after a 6-3 victory over Harvard.

Terp ace Bettker (9-6) put in an incredible performance vs. Mercer, fanning eight and allowing the Bears only two hits in her 12th complete game of the season. The Terps jumped on Mercer from the opening at-bat, when junior center fielder Michelle Burrell (Owego, N.Y.) roped a triple to lead off the ball game. Burrell crossed on a single by freshman Stefanie Robinson (Avenel, N.J.), who in turn scored on a Kiesha Pickeral (Hughesville, Md.) groundout. The Terps tacked on two more runs in the third, when sophomores Beth Radford (Dunkirk, Md.) and Pickeral led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Both baserunners advanced on a Holly Baldwin (Olney, Md.) groundout, and scored on a 2-RBI base hit by junior Annmarie Browne (Lansdale, Pa.). The Terps rolled, 4-0, in the sixth consecutive game where Maryland has registered double-digit hits.

Sophomore southpaw Danielle Carpenter (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) went the distance against Coastal Carolina, scattering seven hits and striking out six to earn her second victory of the year. The Terps once again opened the scoring, when Radford doubled in the second inning and scored on a Chanticleer miscue. Coastal put one run across in the bottom of the second to tie the game, but the Terps took advantage of three Chant errors and five wild pitches in a six-run third. Radford increased the Terps' lead to 8-1 in the fourth with an RBI-single that scored Robinson. Coastal pinch-hitter Kelli Julg hit a two-run home run in the seventh that brought the score to 8-3, which stood as the final tally.

Maryland begins play in the championship bracket at 8 p.m. tonight against an opponent that is yet to be determined.

TERP NOTES: Sophomore RHP Amanda Bettker is 5-1 in her last eight appearances allowing only 9 earned runs in 44 innings ... sophomore Beth Radford is 15-for-34 (.441) in the last 11 games with two homers, three doubles, nine runs scored and 11 RBI ... junior Michelle Burrell has hit safely in the last eight games ... sophomore Kiesha Pickeral concluded a 10-game hitting streak against Coastal Carolina, the second longest of her career ... over that stretch Pickeral was 15-for-40 (.375) with three home runs, two doubles, eight runs scored and eight RBI ... her longest streak was a 12-gamer during her freshman campaign.

Pool Play - Game 3 Linescore
Maryland 	202 000	0 - 4 10  0
Mercer	        000 000	0 - 0  2  0
Maryland: Amanda Bettker and Beth Radford.
Mercer: Stephanie Anunson and Kristi Hopkins.
Winning Pitcher - Bettker (9-6).  Losing Pitcher - Anunson.
Doubles: Holly Baldwin (Md.), Hopkins (Mer.).
Triples: Michelle Burrell (Md).  Home Runs: None.

Pool Play - Game 4 Linescore
Maryland 	        016 100	0 - 8 5	1
Coastal Carolina	010 000	2 - 3 7	1
Maryland: Danielle Carpenter and Beth Radford.
Coastal: Stephanie Belden, Lauren Yates (5) and Tracy Kirsch.
Winning Pitcher - Carpenter (2-3).  Losing Pitcher - Belden (6-4).
Doubles: Michelle Burrell (M), Radford (M).
Triples: None.  Home Runs: Kelli Julg (C).

Contact: Mark Fratto
301-314-7064 (phone)
301-314-9094 (fax)
301-314-TERP (Fan Phone)
fratto@wam.umd.edu