April 22, 2000

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Sophomore Kiesha Pickeral (Hughesville, Md.) ended an extra-inning Game 1 with a bang as the Maryland softball team (26-23, 3-3 ACC, 4-4 SASA) split a pair of conference games with Virginia (22-34, 3-3 ACC, 3-3 SASA) at the North Softball Complex. The second-longest contest in Terrapin softball history was won by Pickeral in the bottom of the 12th inning with a line-drive smash well over the center field fence, putting the Terps up by a 5-3 final. Virginia bounced back to win the second game by a 2-0 count.

Right-handed pitcher Amanda Bettker (St. Petersburg, Fla.) improved her season record to 13-11 in Game 1's marathon victory, scattering eight Cavalier hits across 12 innings. The game was scoreless until the 10th, when Virginia senior Jen Krill singled in pinch runner Kelly McCabe, who was on base in accordance with the International Tiebreaker Rule. The Terps and Cavs traded ITR runs in the 10th and 11th, and Virginia's Karen Breshears scored on a Corinne Good single to put the Cavaliers ahead, 3-2, going into the bottom of the 12th. The Terps' Annmarie Browne (Lansdale, Pa.) was placed on second, advanced to third on a Jennifer Potzman (Trexlertown, Pa.) sacrifice bunt and scored the game-tying run on a Beth Radford (Dunkirk, Md.) single to center. With Radford aboard, Pickeral went deep to center making the final 5-3.

Junior hurler Jen Shellhammer (Slatington, Pa.) took the 2-0 loss in Game 2, allowing nine hits while striking out four. The Terps threatened in the second with the bases loaded, but the contest was scoreless until Virginia's Amy Peay scored on a Breshears double in the sixth. A Meaghan Young sac fly in the seventh put the Cavaliers up by the 2-0 margin.

Pickeral was 3-for-6 on the day for the Terrapins with a home run, double, two RBI and a run scored. Freshman Samantha Sweeney (Marlton, N.J.) collected a pair of hits for the Terps, including a two-out, game-tying RBI-single in the Terp 11th in Game 1. Virginia's Peay was 3-for-7 on the day, while pitcher Chrissy Quinn struck out eight in Game 2.

The Terps are next in action on Tuesday, Apr. 25 when they head to LaSalle. Virginia plays Apr. 25 as well against Mount St. Mary's in Charlottesville. Both teams travel to Tallahassee for the ACC Tournament April 29 to May 1.

TERP NOTES:The longest game played in Maryland softball history was a 3-1 Terp win over No. 22 South Florida in 1999 that lasted 13 innings.

Game 1 Linescore
Virginia   	000 000	000 111	- 3 8 0
Maryland	000 000	000 113	- 5 7 0
Virginia: Kristen Dennis and Stephanie Calhoun.
Maryland: Amanda Bettker and Beth Radford.
Winning Pitcher - Bettker (13-11).
Losing Pitcher - Dennis (5-12).
Doubles: Karen Breshears (V) 2, Kiesha Pickeral (M).
Triples: None.  Home Runs: Pickeral (M).


Game 2 Linescore
Virginia   	000 001	1 - 2 9	1
Maryland	000 000	0 - 0 3	0
Virginia: Chrissy Quinn and Brit Gore.
Maryland: Jen Shellhammer and Beth Radford.
Winning Pitcher - Quinn (8-11).
Losing Pitcher - Shellhammer (9-6).
Doubles: Karen Breshears (V), Johanna Kaiser (V),
Kelly McCabe (V), Sarah Putnam (M).
Triples: None.  Home Runs: None.

Contact: Mark Fratto
301-314-7064 (phone)
fratto@wam.umd.edu