May 10, 2003

Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The University of Maryland softball team (27-17) kept crawling back in Saturday's first game at the ACC Tournament in Tallahasse, Fla. until Nneka Cardoza's (Brockton, Mass.) RBI single put North Carolina to rest in the eighth inning, 9-8. The game saw four lead changes, tied a tournament record for home runs in a game with three, and broke the ACC Tournament record for most runs scored in a game with 17. The former record was 15 runs set by North Carolina and Georgia Tech in 1997.

The Heels jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first off a two-run blast by left fielder Quinn Porter. North Carolina quickly loaded the bases up with a single up the middle by Jaclyn Holden, a walk by Emily Price, and an infield hit by Dionne Streete. Catcher Michelle Hoffman hit a grounder to shortstop Malissa Moczulski (Burlington, N.J.). Moczulski fired the ball home in hopes of getting the force out at the plate, but the throw was wide to catcher Casey Leiter's (Lake Stevens, Wash.) right side. Two North Carolina runners scored on the play to increase their team's lead to four runs. The next two Tar Heel batters sent the ball Moczulski's way, but the shortstop fielded both balls cleanly on a pop-up and a grounder to end the North Carolina rally.

North Carolina's offensive momentum carried into the second inning and put a fifth run on the board. Centerfielder Tiffany Tolleson reached first on an overthrow by Moczulski. The speedy Tolleson swiped second to bring herself three stolen bases away from breaking the NCAA career stolen bases record.

The Terps mounted their most impressive counter attack of the season in the second inning, tagging Crystal Cox for six runs. Cox walked pitcher Monica Cyphert (Warren, Ohio) to lead off the inning. After a Jillian Callaway (Brandywine, Md.) pop-up, Leiter knocked a bloop single over the second baseman's head for the Terps' first hit of the game. With third baseman Crystal Rizzuto (San Leandro, Calif.) at the plate, Cyphert and Leiter advanced into scoring position on a passed ball. Rizzuto went on to smack a two-RBI double to left center to put Maryland's first two runs on the board. Cox then walked left fielder Natalie Grossman (Skillman, N.J.) to put runners on first and second. Crystal Tweedy (Dumfries, Va.) successfully sacrificed runners into scoring position with a bunt to set the table for Samantha Sweeney (Marlton, N.J.). Sweeney ultimately didn't need Tweedy's help because she blasted her second home run of the season to put Maryland back in the game, 5-5. Cardoza kept the hits coming with a double to center. Tar Heel coach Donna Papa pulled Cox and brought in Alison Yin. Yin hit Moczulski and gave up a RBI single to Cyphert to put Maryland up 6-5.

The Heels battled back to pick up two runs on a single and a pair of doubles. Maryland matched their scoring output in the bottom of the inning, scoring a pair of runs off Yin. The freshman Tar Heels hurler walked Cardoza to lead off the inning and gave up a hit to Moczulski to put runners on first and second with no outs. Cyphert picked up her second RBI of the day on a double to left. Moczulski charged home on the play to try and score the second run of the inning but was gunned down on the relay from shortstop Emily Price. With two outs, Leiter singled and Cyphert charged home, hoping to beat the throw from the outfield. Hoffmann was waiting for Cyphert at the plate with the ball in her glove, but Cyphert knocked the ball loose and was called safe at home to put Maryland back in the lead, 8-7.

Terrapin coach Gina LaMandre brought in Liz Gall (Bothell, Wash.) in the top of the sixth to close out the game for the Terps. Gall retired the North Carolina side. In the seventh inning, Gall walked leadoff hitter Price. The key play for the Terps defense came when Leiter caught Price trailing off first and picked her off with a 1-2 count on Streete. Streete fouled off two pitches after the pick off and then launched a pitch into to centerfield for her third home run of the season and tied up the game, 8-8.

After the home run, LaMandre called Cyphert back into the circle to finish out the seventh inning. The junior closed out the seventh and also worked out of a two-on no-out situation in the top of the eighth. Terrapin centerfielder Sweeney led off the eighth with a walk and then swiped second with Cardoza at bat. Cardoza took a 2-2 pitch up the middle and the speedy Sweeney sprinted home to score the winning run and eliminate the 2-seed Tar Heels from the tournament.

The Terps will now play Virginia (35-25) at 5 p.m. Saturday. The Terps lost to Virginia, 4-0, in the tournament's opening game Friday. Later in the evening, the Cavaliers were routed by Florida State (44-9), losing 10-1 in five innings. If the Terps beat the Cavaliers, they will immediately play the loser of the Florida State vs. Georgia Tech game, currently in progress.