April 10, 2005

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The University of Maryland softball team dropped the final game of its three-game series at Virginia, 2-0, Sunday afternoon at The Park. Lindsay Klein and Nikki Smith had the two Terrapin hits on the day, and Elyse Lucas struck out four batters in defeat.

Klein got her first hit of the series in the top of the first inning, a single up the middle, but the Terps did not bring her around to score. Maryland got another opportunity in the second inning when Nikki Smith hit a double off the left-center field wall. It was Smith's fifth two-base hit of the year, and she advanced to third base after walk by Lauren Pollock and a groundout by Natalie Grossman, but the Terps stranded both runners on base and the score remained 0-0.

Virginia took a two-run lead in the bottom of the third inning after Elea Crockett hit an infield single and Jenn Wynn hit her fifth home run of the year to center field.

That 2-0 lead would hold up as Virginia pitcher Coty Tolar retired the last 17 Terrapin batters she faced. Tolar improved to 7-9 on the year, while Terp starter Elyse Lucas dropped to 4-3. Lucas gave up just four hits in the six-inning performance.

After splitting games with Virginia Saturday, Maryland drops to 19-12 (3-3 ACC). Virginia's record went to 16-22 (5-3 ACC).

The Terps are back in action next weekend at Florida State for a three-game series at the Seminole Softball Complex.