March 10, 2001

Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. - It was a game that might not have mattered for the seeding of the Speedline Invitational championship bracket, but you better believe it mattered to the Maryland Terrapins. The Terps (11-8), whose pool play record had already locked them into a spot in the consolation round, showed tremendous heart in taking a 3-1 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowgirls (14-8) in the final game of pool play for both teams on Saturday.

Maryland entered the game with a 2-2 tournament record and a guaranteed fourth place finish in the Pool D, having to overcome a Cowgirl squad whose explosive offense and talented pitching had helped them to a 4-0 tourney record and a top spot in the championship bracket. OSU had been rolling through the preliminary round games until they met the Terps on Saturday.

Terp left-handed starter Danielle Carpenter (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) was sensational, allowing OSU only four hits and no earned runs in the contest. The lone Oklahoma score was on a Danielle Thomas RBI groundout in the fifth.

It was the Terrapins who first got on the board, as Beth Radford (Dunkirk, Md.) scored fellow junior Kiesha Pickeral (Hughesville, Md.) in the second inning with a sacrifice fly. Pickeral led off the second stanza with a double to right center and advanced to third on a Casey Leiter (Lake Stevens, Wash.) sacrifice bunt attempt. Radford drove a ball deep to right, allowing the Terps' first baseman to cross for the Maryland lead.

The unrelenting Terrapins came to the plate in the top of the sixth after OSU battled to tie the contest in the previous half inning. Pickeral led off with a base hit once again, this time with a single to right. Leiter then reached on a fielder's choice as pinch-runner Amanda Kipnis (Northbrook, Ill.) slid to break up any chance of a double-play. Terp catcher Radford next stepped in and hammered a 1-1 delivery over the centerfield fence, helping Terps to a 3-1 lead and enabling her squad to retain momentum. It was her second home run of the season.

Carpenter forced a groundout and a fly out in the seventh before the Cowgirls threatened with bases-loaded drama. Maryland's crafty lefthander once again showed her mettle with a strikeout to end the game.

Pickeral finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Radford accounted for all three Terp RBI.

With a 3-2 pool play record, the Terrapins will compete in the consolation round on Sunday at 10 a.m. Maryland faces either Hofstra or Tennessee-Chattanooga from Pool C in the semifinal. The consolation bracket championship game is scheduled for noon.

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