May 11, 2001

Box Score 1, Box Score 2

RALEIGH, N.C. - Terp fans were on kept the edges of their collective seats for most of a hard-fought day one at the 2001 ACC Softball Championships. After outhitting Georgia Tech 7-2 to beat the Yellow Jackets (24-28) by a 1-0 margin, the Maryland squad (38-22) took the No. 1 seed and NFCA No. 17 Florida State Seminoles (53-8) to the 11th inning, falling 2-1 after a two-hour, forty-two minute pitcher's duel.

Junior fireballer Amanda Bettker (St. Petersburg, Fla.) tossed a two-hit gem in Game 1's 1-0 victory over Georgia Tech, striking out four. The Terps cracked the scoreboard in top of the third, when senior Michelle Burrell (Owego, N.Y.) singled and advanced to second on an Annmarie Browne (Lansdale, Pa.) sacrifice bunt. Shortstop Jennifer Potzman (Trexlertown, Pa.) grounded sharply to the right side to advance Burrell to third, who scored an a Kiesha Pickeral (Hughesville, Md.) bloop single down the left field line.

Bettker, meanwhile, stayed out of trouble for most of the game, hurling flawless innings in the third and fifth.

Senior Jenn Shellhammer (Slatington, Pa.) dueled with FSU's Jen White-Stokes for the better part of regulation in the nightcap, with both allowing one run on four hits. The Terps plated the contest's first run in the fifth when freshman Casey Leiter (Lake Stevens, Wash.) singled and eventually scampered home on a wild pitch. The Noles answered with a score of their own in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Staci Brandon.

Bettker, coming on in relief in the bottom of the sixth, traded scoreless innings with Seminole ace Leslie Malerich late into the night. Bettker struck out seven in five innings before FSU's Brandi Stuart led off the bottom of the 11th with a home run to end the battle.

With the day's win and loss, Bettker's record stands at 15-7. The junior totaled 11 strikeouts in 12 innings and allowed only six hits and the solo run for a 0.58 ERA. Burrell and Leiter both finished the day 3-for-8 (.375) with a run scored, while junior Danielle Carpenter (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) contributed a 3-for-7 (.429) performance. Burrell and Carpenter also each added a double.

North Carolina defeated Virginia, 7-3, and will face Florida State in Game 5 tomorrow at 1 p.m. The Terrapins await the winner of 11 a.m.'s Game 4, a match-up between Virginia and Georgia Tech, at 3 p.m. to conclude the second day of action at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex.

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