Terps Fire Up Non-Conference Schedule Wednesday

April 22, 2003

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Terps (15-15, 0-6 ACC) take a break from their ACC schedule this Wednesday as they take on the Morgan State Lady Bears (9-16, 3-5 MEAC) in a home doubleheader. The first pitch is set for 5 p.m. If you can't be in attendance for Wednesday's games, follow them online at REPLACE_ME with our live game tracker system.

SCOUTING MORGAN STATE

The Lady Bears (11-16, 5-5 MEAC) head into this tilt on a four-game win streak after consecutive sweeps of Maryland-Eastern Shore this week. First year coach Kara Campbell's squad won the games 1-0, 7-0, 3-2, and 2-1. The seven run margin of victory in Saturday's first game is the team's greatest this season.

Junior catcher Aubrey Love leads the offensive charge for Morgan State. She is the only Bear batting over .300 (.318), has driven in a team-high 13 runs and scored a team-high 12 runs.

The Morgan State pitching staff is led by freshman Jamila Taylor and junior Grace Glenn. Taylor leads the team in ERA (2.01), innings pitched (87), and strikeouts (74). The rookie shows good control, averaging less than a walk per game.

The Terps are 10-1 all-time against Morgan State. Morgan State's lone victory was a 9-0 win in 1995; Maryland's first year of softball. Since then, Morgan State has never scored more than one run against the Terps.

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE DOMINANCE

This Morgan State doubleheader is sandwiched in between conference games between Virginia and North Carolina. The Terps (15-15) are 15-9 against out-of-conference teams and have been playing particularly well at home against non-conference competitors. The Terps have swept doubleheaders from non-conference competitors George Mason, James Madison, and Coppin State, while also picking up a tournament win over Hofstra.

The Terps are batting a combined .347 in their past seven home non-conference games, and the pitching duo of Monica Cyphert (Warren, Ohio) and Jessica Aditays (Shrewsbury, Mass.) have a combined 0.73 ERA in these contests and have allowed only five earned runs.

In addition to a miniscule 0.88 ERA in non-conference home games, Cyphert has struck out 40 batters in 32 innings of work.

Sophomore utility player Nneka Cardoza (Brockton, Mass.) has also been hot at the plate in these match-ups, batting an even .500 (10-for-20) at home against non-conference foes. First baseman Jillian Callaway (Brandywine, Md.) follows closely behind Cardoza with a .467 batting average (10-for-21). Cyphert has driven in a team-high 10 runs in these match-ups.

CLUTCH CALLAWAY

Senior Jillian Callaway (Brandywine, Md.) has been rising to the occasion for the Terps this season. The first baseman drove in last Wednesday night's game-winning run in the ninth inning to send James Madison home. She is batting .276 with runners in scoring position, and a team-high .375 in two-out situations. Callaway has also collected a team-high six RBI in 2-out situations.

The first baseman continues to knock down Maryland team records throughout her 2003 campaign. She has already moved to ninth on the career hits list (114), ninth in RBI (51), ninth in walks (43), tenth in games played (180), and tenth in games started (174).

Callaway has been effective in replacing graduated Terrapin first baseman Kiesha Pickeral. Callaway's versatility has allowed her to assume many roles in the Terrapin infield. She spent the majority of last season as the starting third baseman and her freshman season as the starting second baseman.

NO HITS FOR YOU!

Junior Monica Cyphert (Warren, Ohio) pitched her first career no-hitter against Coppin State in Maryland's doubleheader Apr. 13. She fanned a career-high 14 batters and also planted a ball way past the wall in left centerfield for her career-tying fifth homer of the season.

Thanks to her great performance at the plate and in the circle against Coppin State, Cyphert (9-8) was named Maryland Student Athlete of the Week for Apr. 14.

Cyphert, along with fellow junior Liz Gall (Bothell, Wash.) was part of a combined perfect game against Morgan State in 2001.

CARDOZA THRICE AS NICE

Versatile junior Nneka Cardoza (Brockton, Mass.) elevated her game in the second half of Apr. 13's doubleheader against Coppin State. Cardoza, who has played second base, third base, and the outfield this season, went 3-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored in Maryland's 12-0 win.

Cardoza's performance matched her other career day this season, when she went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored against George Mason (Apr. 2).

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