March 30, 2005

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Keri Lounge hit a game-winning two-run home run in the sixth inning to give the Maryland softball team its second victory of the day against Villanova, 4-3, Wednesday afternoon at Villanova Softball Park. The Terrapins shut out Villanova in the first game of the day, 5-0, for the sweep. Maryland won its fourth-straight game and improved to 14-10 on the year, while Terp pitchers Elyse Lucas and Abbey Welch picked up victories.

Lucas (3-2) started game one of the doubleheader on the mound for the Terps, and effectively shut down the Villanova offense in the complete game victory.

Maryland scored all of its runs in the top of the second inning after Nikki Smith got the first hit of the game with a single up the middle. The next two batters, Crystal Rizzuto and Lauren Pollock, both reached base on consecutive fielding errors by Wildcat shortstop Sheri Donley to load the bases. Natalie Grossman put the Terps ahead 1-0 with an RBI walk and the next batter, Jenny Belak, singled to right field and knocked in three more runs. Crystal Tweedy kept the inning going with an infield single that scored Belak and gave the Terps the commanding 5-0 lead.

Belak's three RBIs in game one was a career-high, while Tweedy and Grossman each tallied their fourth of the season.

Villanova started strong in the second game of the doubleheader, as Donley led off with her second home run of the year to left-center field and gave the Wildcats their first run of the day. Although Villanova would come up with another hit off Terp starter Jessica Aditays (4-2) in the first inning, the lead remained 1-0.

The `Cats made it a two-run game in the bottom of the third inning, but that lead did not last long as the Terps got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Crystal Tweedy led off with a bunt single to third base - the Terps' first hit of the second game. The next batter, Lindsay Klein, sent a ball against the fence in center field, notching her fifth double of the year and advancing Tweedy to third base. With two outs later in the inning, designated player Lauren Pollock tied the game with a two-run double to left field. For Pollock, it was her second double of the year and her third multiple-RBI game of 2005.

Villanova reclaimed the lead in its half of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Lisa Krueger.

That 3-2 lead held up until the sixth inning, when Crystal Tweedy slapped a single to center field and Lounge followed with a two-run blast over the 220-yard sign in center field. It marked Lounge's second home run of the season and eighth of her career and Maryland held on for the 4-3 victory

Abbey Welch, who relieved Aditays in the bottom of the fifth, pitched nearly flawlessly in three innings of work. She struck out four batters and gave up no hits and a walk for her team-high sixth win of the year.

Tweedy finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored, while Pollock and Lounge drove in two runs each. For the two games vs. Villanova, Tweedy hit a team-high .429, while Lounge had a .333 batting average.

Maryland returns to action when it hosts UMES in a 2 p.m. Thursday doubleheader at the Terrapin Softball Complex. Admission is free.