April 24, 2005

Box Score (Game 2) | Box Score (Game 3)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland softball team was defeated by North Carolina, 3-1, in the final game of the series at the Terrapin Softball Complex Sunday afternoon. Earlier in the day, the Terps and Tar Heels finished the second game, which had been halted Saturday due to heavy rain, and North Carolina prevailed in the 12th inning, 3-2.

The second game of Saturday's doubleheader was resumed Sunday in the top of the seventh inning with the score tied, 2-2. Both Terrapin runs had come off a Keri Lounge home run in the third inning, as Crystal Tweedy doubled to left field and scored on the long ball.

Cassie Palmer broke the scoreless tie in the top of the 12th inning with a solo home run to center field. It was the first homer of her career and put the Tar Heels up for good, 3-2.

Crystal Crews relieved starter Jessica Aditays in the seventh inning, while Carolina pitcher Crystal Cox came in to relieve Ashley Allen. Crews (4-6) pitched the final six innings of the game, and was charged with the loss, while Cox got the win for the Tar Heels.

Crews also did her part at the plate, notching two hits including her first double of the season. Tweedy also had a multiple-hit game for Maryland including her third double of the year. For Lounge, it was her team-high tying fourth home run of the year and 10th of her career.

In the second game, North Carolina (35-23, 8-7 ACC) got an early one-run lead in the second inning after capitalizing on two Maryland fielding errors.

Maryland (20-17, 4-8 ACC) fought back to tie the score at 1-1 in the fifth inning. Crystal Rizzuto started the rally with a single up the middle, and pinch runner Meghan Booth advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Natalie Grossman. A Nneka Cardoza single moved Booth to third base and a North Carolina fielding error on a ground ball off the bat of Crystal Tweedy scored Booth to tie the game.

A Tar Heel home run again proved to the difference in the game, as Jennifer Jacobs' two-run shot to center field put North Carolina up 3-1.

Elyse Lucas (4-4) pitched seven innings and allowed five hits and two earned runs in the loss, while Cox got her third win of the series and improved to 19-14.

Cardoza led Maryland in game two with a double and a single, while Lounge, Rizzuto and Lauren Pollock also had hits for the Terps.

Maryland will play a non-conference doubleheader on Wed., April 27, against Towson at the Terrapin Softball Complex before hosting its final ACC series of the year with Georgia Tech next weekend.