May 6, 2001

Box Score 1, Box Score 2

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Maryland softball squad fell in the final doubleheader of the regular season, 5-0 and 10-1, to the ACC/SASA top-ranked Florida State Seminoles. Despite tremendous individual performances by juniors Amanda Bettker (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and Beth Radford (Dunkirk, Md.), the Terps (37-21, 1-7 ACC, 3-7 SASA) could not get out in front of NFCA No. 17 FSU, and now look to regroup before the ACC Softball Championships next weekend in Raleigh, N.C.

Bettker struck out 10 against the mighty Seminole lineup, and held her own for much of Game 1's pitcher's duel. The fireballer pitched her way our of trouble in the second and third, not allowing a run until Florida State plated three in the fifth on a Robin Gauger run-scoring bloop single and a Brandi Stuart two-RBI double. The Terrapins, led in part by Radford's two leadoff doubles, had runners in scoring position in the second, third and fourth against Seminole starter Leslie Malerich but were unable to put anything across. FSU managed a pair of runs in the sixth to make the final 5-0 and dip Bettker's record to 14-6.

The Terrapins cracked the scoreboard in Game 2's second inning, when a bases-loaded walk to freshman Monica Cyphert (Warren, Ohio) forced home junior Kiesha Pickeral (Hughesville, Md.) to tie the contest at 1-1. The Seminoles, however, used a seven-run third to put the game away, and added two more scores in the fifth for the final. Cyphert took the loss to move to 9-8 on the season.

For the Terrapins, rookie Casey Leiter (Lake Stevens, Wash.) and junior Danielle Carpenter (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) hit in both games. Leiter finished the day 2-for-3 (.667) with two walks, while Carpenter wound up 2-for-4 (.500). Radford belted the pair of two-baggers and gunned down a baserunner, improving to 15-for-30 (.500) on the year.

Maryland is next in action at the aforementioned ACC Tournament, May 11-13 at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex in Raleigh. Event details will be available on www.umterps.com later in the week.

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