May 9, 2003

Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Terps (26-17) couldn't regroup after Virginia (35-24) jumped out to an early lead and dropped the first game of the 2003 ACC Championship Tournament, 4-0.

Virginia put a run on the board in the bottom of the first off a hard grounder through the left side by right fielder Jessica Taylor and a pair of bloop singles. Maryland catcher Casey Leiter (Lake Stevens, Wash.) ended the inning by picking off second baseman Sara Laquier at third base.

The Cavalier offense mounted another attack in the second. With one out, left fielder Johanna Kaiser lifted a pitch over left fielder Natalie Grossman's (Skillman, N.J.) head for a double. The following batter, Christina Grimm, singled up the middle and Kaiser ended up scoring when the hit bounced off centerfielder Samantha Sweeney's (Marlton, N.J.) glove. UVa centerfielder Katie Weinberg reached base on a fielder's choice and stole second in the next at-bat. Shortstop Heather Field drove Weinberg home with a double to right field and put Virginia up 3-0.

Maryland's first hit came with one out in the top of the third. Sweeney ripped a triple into the right field gap. Maryland's hopes of scoring a run in the inning were dashed when Virginia tagged Sweeney out at the plate on an attempted sacrifice bunt by Nneka Cardoza (Brockton, Mass).

The Terrapins had another opportunity to score in the top of the fourth. Pitcher Monica Cyphert (Warren, Ohio) led off with a walk and was replaced on the basepaths by Liz Gall (Bothell, Wash.) Gall was erased at second on a fielder's choice by first baseman Jillian Callaway (Brandywine, Md.). Leiter followed with a grounder to third. Third baseman Ruby Rojas overthrew the ball to second in hopes of getting the force out to put Terp runners on first and second. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch by Cavalier hurler Erin Horn, but Virginia collected back-to-back outs to end the Terrapin threat.

Virginia went up 4-0 in the fifth on an RBI single by Laquier. Field, who led off the inning with a double to right center, scored on the play.

Maryland only picked up two more hits in the game; singles by Sweeney and third baseman Crystal Rizzuto (San Leandro, Calif.). Horn (15-11) struck out eight in the victory, Cyphert (15-9) pitched a complete game for the loss.

The Terps will play their second game in the double elimination tournament Saturday at 11 a.m. against #2 North Carolina. The Terps won their only ACC contest of the year against the Tarheels April 26.