March 22, 2003

Box Score

MARIETTA, Ga. - The University of Maryland Softball team (8-8) took the field three times today at the Buzz Classic, after being idle for almost two weeks. After Friday's games were cancelled due to inclement weather, the Terps faced off against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, tournament host Georgia Tech, and the Troy State Trojans. The Terps finished the day 2-1, finding wins over the Hilltoppers, and the Trojans, 2-1 and 8-3 respectively. Sandwiched between the wins, the Terps fell to ACC foe Georgia Tech, 1-0.

Game 1
10:00 a.m.
Maryland 2, Western Kentucky 1

The Terps started their day off on a positive note by defeating Western Kentucky (14-10), 2-1. Senior Samantha Sweeney (Marlton, N.J.), playing in her fourth Buzz Classic, took it upon herself to start the tournament off right for the Terrapins. Sweeney the Terps' leadoff hitter, opened the game with a single and scored the first run, touching all the bases with help from teammates Malissa Moczulski (Burlington, N.J.) and freshman Natalie Grossman (Skillman, N.J.). Sweeney advanced on a sacrifice fly by Grossman, and then stole third. Sweeney's talented base running has given her seven steals on the year, as well as 36 career swipes which is a Maryland school record. The Terps were on the board first with Moczulski's fielder's choice which sent Sweeney home.

The Terps struck again in the fifth inning. Crystal Tweedy (Dumfries, Va.) singled to get herself in scoring contention for Maryland. On an error by Hilltopper Renita Pennington, Sweeney made it to first, advancing Tweedy. Grossman singled and Sweeny was caught stealing in the process of play. Although Sweeney was caught, Tweedy stole home to push the Terps lead to 2.

The Hilltopper's only offence came in the seventh inning, when lead off hitter Allison Silver smacked a pitch from Monica Cyphert over the fence in center field. With the win, Cyphert improved to 3-4, while loosing pitcher Allison Silver drops to 6-5.

Game 2
6:00 p.m.
Georgia Tech 1, Maryland 0

Meeting for the first time this season, the Terps and tournament host Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets played a tight game for nine innings. The Terps lost 1-0, in the nine inning contest.

Maryland did not find themselves on the bases until a third inning double by Samantha Sweeney. The Terps' chance to strike early appeared as Sweeney reached third on a sacrifice bunt by Casey Leiter. The inning ended with two consecutive Terp strikeouts by Malissa Moczulski and Crystal Rizzuto, leaving Sweeney stranded. The only other hit for the Terrapins came from Sweeney as well who singled in the sixth.

Jessica Aditays (Shrewsbury, Ma.) was at the top of her game, sitting down eight Yellow Jackets, only allowing one run off of two hits and four walks. She held Tech hitless until the seventh inning when Katie Donovan singled in the infield.

Georgia Tech won in the ninth inning through Tara Knudsen's clutch single to left field to score Felicia Coursey. Coursey was placed at second base due to the imposed international tiebreaker rule.

Both pitchers threw their best at their opponents. Georgia Tech pitcher Jessica Sallinger was key for the Yellow Jackets. She did not walk a batter, allowed only two hits, and struck out 17 on a nine-inning performance. Seventeen ties her own school record.

The Terps fell to 7-8, while the Yellow Jackets improved to 22-12, going 3-0 on the day. Aditays' record now stands at 4-3, while Sallinger improved to 12-8 on the season.

Game 3
8:00 p.m.
Maryland 8, Troy State 5

Closing out a long day at the Al Bishop Softball Complex, the Terps made sure they ended their first day at the Buzz Classic with a win. Taking on the Troy State Trojans who had just won an exciting contest against Western Kentucky, Maryland came out swinging.

The first inning proved most effective for the Terrapins. Samantha Sweeney continued with her fantastic play by singling and advancing to second on an error by the Trojan's left fielder and then making it to third. Casey Leiter (Lake Stevens, Wa.) was walked by Trojan pitcher Kacie Flinn and then stole second. Flinn threw a wild pitch which pushed the Terps off the bags and onto the scoreboard.

Cyphert who also walked and advanced to second on the wild pitch, Leiter made her way to third, while Sweeny scored. Jillian Callaway (Brandywine, Md.) grounded out to second, bringing Leiter home. Lauren Pollock (Severna Park, Md.) made sure the Terps scoring surge continued by singling to left field, scoring Cyphert. Crystal Rizzuto (San Leandro, Ca.) singled and advanced to second, scoring Pollock. Natalie Grossman singled and Rizzuto advanced to third. Rizzuto tried to add another run for the Terps by reaching home, but was denied. She was called out at the plate by an accurate throw from the Trojan's center fielder to end the inning. At the end of the first inning, the Terps were up 4-0.

Although the Trojans rallied a few times, the Terps four run first inning was enough to give them the upper hand in the game.

Troy State first scored in the third inning when Boyd hit an inside the park home run, after Terp right fielder Crystal Tweedy dropped the ball. The Trojans tallied another run as Molly Homer singled and worked her way around the bases through the help of teammates Christi Curran and Bonnie Belin.

The Terps made the score 5-2 with a bunt by Sweeny who was able to advance Tweedy to third who had been walked. Leiter again came through for the Terps, hitting a sacrifice fly to right field, moving Sweeney to third and Tweedy to home for the Terps fifth run of the night.

Troy State again answered, adding another run in the top of the fifth inning. Jennifer Aditays replaced Monica Cyphert with a solid lead to hold onto. The Terps preformed poorly on the field and let the Trojans cut into their lead. Second baseman Nneka Cardoza errored on a playable ball and another Trojan advanced on a passed ball, setting up Jessie Buehler scoring in the series.

The Terps took advantage of an error by Troy State's third baseman. Lauren Pollock reached first on the error and then advanced to second after Crystal Rizzuto was thrown out at first. Natalie Grossman doubled to send Pollock home and to make the score 6-3.

Troy State came as close as they would come in the sixth inning, scoring two runs off of three hits. Molly Homer singled down the left field line and rounded the bases off of Bonnie Belin's double. Christi Curran singled and gained an extra base, and Belin scored off of Sweeney's error in center field.

The Terps put the game out of the Trojan's reach with a leadoff single by Sweeney who advanced to second off of Leiter's ground out. Flinn walked Moczulski, who later advanced to second on Aditays' strike out. Sweeney stole third as result of Aditays' strikeout, and ended up scoring on an error by the catcher. Callaway singled and pushed Moczulski to third. Callaway moved to second and Moczulski scored on a passed ball, putting the Terps up 8-5, for good.

The Terps compete in the final day of the Buzz Classic tomorrow at the Al Bishop Softball Complex, in Marietta, Ga. They take on Lipscomb tomorrow, March 23, at 1:00 p.m.