April 29, 2000

2000 Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Championships

Game Two

Florida State 6, Maryland 2

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Third-seeded Florida State took the early lead and held on to top the second-seeded Maryland Terrapins in the second game of the ACC Softball Championships Saturday afternoon at the Seminole Softball Complex. FSU improves to 41-24 on the season as Maryland drops to 26-24.

Florida State junior Serita Brooks opened the scoring in game two with triple to right field where junior Annmarie Browne committed her first error of the season to bring Brooks home. The Lady Seminoles then added two more in the second inning, which started with three straight singles. Junior Staci Brandon led off with a single with Brooks adding the second before they both advanced off a passed ball from pitcher Amanda Bettker. Sophomore Kimmy Carter drove a single down the left line, scoring Brandon and putting Brooks in scoring position for freshman Brandi Stuart, who brought her on a fielder's choice, giving FSU a 3-0 lead.

The Terrapins answered in the fifth inning, scoring two runs off three hits, to bring Maryland within one. Senior Sarah Putnam scored the two runs with a double up the middle to bring in Samantha Sweeney, who hit a single to centerfield to reach base, and Jillian Callaway who was hit by a pitch. But senior Andi Lyons extended the Lady Seminoles lead to two in the sixth inning with a solo home run over the left-field wall, her first of the season, followed by a single RBI by senior Becky Wallace and a double RBI from junior Natalie Bennett to give FSU the 6-2 win.

"Leslie (Malerich) had good stuff today, but wasn't as on as she has been," FSU Head Coach Dr. JoAnne Graf said. "So we had to rely on our bats and we responded. Maryland kept coming at us time after time. They're a tough ball club. Tomorrow's game will be a big one, because I think whoever wins that game will be in the driver's seat."

Bennett led the Lady Seminoles going a perfect 3-3 from the plate with an RBI and a double with Brooks adding two hits, including a triple. Lyons also hit her second career homerun as Wallace and Carter added a hit and RBI. Leading the way for the Terrapins was Putnam, who had a two RBI double and two hits, with Sweeney, Kiesha Pickeral and Cortney Madea each adding a hit. On the mound, sophomore Leslie Malerich (27-13) got the complete game win, throwing two strikeouts and giving up only two runs, ending her 26 1/3 shutouts innings. Sophomore Amanda Bettker took the loss for Maryland, going to 13-12 on the season and throwing five strikeouts.

"We're a young team and had a tight first couple of innings," Head Coach Gina LaMandre said. "I though our pitcher did a good job today. They're a good team and did a great job of executing. We had a few lapses today and you can't have those lapses against a good team."

The Lady Seminoles will face the winner of Game 3 between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Virginia Cavaliers Sunday in Game 5 at 3:00pm. Maryland will take on Georgia Tech Sunday in Game 4 at 1:00pm.

WP- Leslie Malerich (27-13)
LP- Amanda Bettker (13-12)