March 4, 2005

Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. - The Terrapin softball team won its second-straight game at the Red and Black Challenge at the University of Georgia Friday, topping Oakland 9-1 in pool play. Elyse Lucas struck out a career-high 10 batters and pitched a complete game for the victory, while Rachel Greyson led the Terps offensively with three RBI and two hits, including her first-career triple. The Terrapins improved to 3-4 on the season and 2-0 at the Red and Black Challenge.

The Terps jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, after freshman Jenny Belak reached first base on a Golden Grizzlie fielding error and advanced to third base on two wild pitches. With one out and Belak on third, Lindsay Klein grounded out to second base and drove in Belak for her second RBI of the season to give Maryland a 1-0 lead.

Rachel Greyson, who made her first start of the season at catcher vs. Oakland (0-2), added to the Terrapin lead when she blasted her first-career triple down the right field line and drove in Crystal Rizzuto, who had walked earlier in the inning. It was also the first triple by a Terrapin in 2005 and Greyson's first RBI of the season. With the Terps ahead 2-0, Greyson scored from third base on a wild pitch and extended the Maryland lead to three runs.

In the top of the sixth inning, Nneka Cardoza led off with a walk, followed by a single by Lindsay Klein. Klein has now had at least one hit in each of the Terrapins' first seven games, and is batting a team-high .417 on the year. With Cardoza on third base and Klein on first, Keri Lounge stepped up to bat and hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Cardoza and give the Terps a 4-0 lead. Later in the inning, Greyson continued her impressive performance at the plate, driving in two runs with a single to right field. Greyson finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple and three RBI. The three runs batted in is the best single-game total by a Terrapin so far this season.

Leading 6-0 heading into the seventh inning, head coach Gina LaMandre made a few lineup changes which resulted in two Terrapin firsts. Freshman Meghan Booth, who entered the game at left field for Crystal Tweedy, led off the seventh inning with her first career hit - a double to left field. After fellow freshmen Jenny Belak had an infield single and stole second base, classmate Whitney Reigel stepped up for her first career at bat. Reigel also knocked a double to left field and drove in her first career RBIs as Booth and Belak crossed home plate. Later in the inning, Lounge hit her second sacrifice fly of the game to score Reigel and give Maryland a commanding 9-0 lead.

The Golden Grizzlies scored one run in the bottom of the seventh inning but Maryland won by a final score of 9-1. Lucas gave up just three hits in the complete game victory, striking out a career-high 10 and improving to 1-1 on the season. She had a no-hitter through 4.5 innings.

The Terrapins return to the diamond on Saturday, as they continue action at the Red and Black Challenge on the campus of the University of Georgia. Maryland is scheduled to face Radford at 9 a.m., followed by a 1 p.m. matchup with No. 13/17 and host Georgia. Gametracker is available through www.umterps.com, while live audio and video can be accessed (with a subscription) through www.georgiadogs.com for the Terps-Bulldogs game.