April 25, 2001

Box Score 1, Box Score 2

TOWSON, Md. - Only two games removed from a sidelining shoulder injury, junior Kiesha Pickeral (Hughesville, Md.) was back in fine form as the Maryland softball squad (35-17) split a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon with the Towson Tigers (25-22-1). At a chilly Towson Center Field Pickeral sparked the Terrapins with a 5-for-7 (.714), two run, two-RBI effort that included her eighth home run of the year. Despite the tremendous performance from the junior and a myriad of baserunners, the Terrapins fell just short of a sweep of the area rival, taking the first game, 1-0, before falling 5-4 in Game 2.

Terrapin junior fireballer Amanda Bettker (St. Petersburg, Fla.) tossed her fifth shutout in six starts for the Terps in the doubleheader's opening game. The hurler (13-4) tossed a gem, striking out five and scattering two hits while only allowing one Tiger runner beyond first base. The Terrapins racked up seven hits, including two apiece by Pickeral and seniors Michelle Burrell (Owego, N.Y.) and Jennifer Potzman (Trexlertown, Pa.), but were unable to put any runs across until freshman Jen Peel (St. Leonard, Md.) raced one home in the fifth. After a Potzman single to the Tigers' third baseman, the rookie dug for the plate and escaped a rundown to put the winning score across.

The Terps and Tigers exchanged runs in Game 2, as Pickeral launched the first bomb of her recovery after a Burrell single in the first. Towson's Stacey Smith answered back with a two-run shot of her own in the bottom of the inning. After a Casey Leiter (Lake Stevens, Wash.) sacrifice fly brought home Pickeral in the third, Tiger centerfielder Michelle Cappe drove in a run to knot the score at three.

The Tigers opened the fourth with a pair of base hits, looking to gain momentum. Maryland's Monica Cyphert (Warren, Ohio) faced a second-and-third, one-out situation but looked to take control with a 1-2 count on Marisa Moore, who popped up down the right field line. The ball appeared to fall outside the foul line, but was ruled in play and resulted in a two-RBI triple and a 5-3 Tiger lead. Terp junior Danielle Carpenter (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) singled in Beth Radford (Dunkirk, Md.) in the top of the fifth, but Towson held on for the final.

Cyphert, on in relief for Terp starter Jenn Shellhammer (Slatington, Pa.) took the loss to move to 8-7. The pair combined for four strikeouts and scattered seven hits while Maryland amassed nine.

Burrell hit in both games, going 3-for-7 (.429) with a run scored to extend her current hit streak to eight games. Carpenter finished out the day 3-for-7 as well with a RBI.

The Terrapins are back in ACC/SASA softball action this weekend, taking on North Carolina and East Carolina at home. The Terps face the Tar Heels on Saturday at 1 p.m. before meeting the Pirates at the same time on Sunday.

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