Feb. 23, 2007

Final Stats

Palm Springs, Calif. - As the sun slipped behind the mountains beyond left field, the Terps seemed to lose their grip on their showdown with the tenth ranked Texas Longhorns. The Terrapins gave up two runs in the top of the seventh to erase a 2-0 lead, and the game appeared to be headed for extra innings.

Jenny Belak rallied the Terps, however, with a triple to left field, and then stole home plate on a bizarre play, in which Texas pitcher Meagan Denny threw a wild pitch on an attempted walk of Amber Jackson.

Texas catcher Megan Willis stepped well to the side of Jackson, but Denny threw the ball hard and well over Willis's head.

Belak, who stole 13 bases a year ago, was off the bag and racing towards home plate as soon as the ball was past the pitcher's glove. She slid in safe beneath Denny, as the Maryland bullpen exploded onto the field.

Terrapin pitcher Stacey Jennings was dominating for most of the game, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning. The Longhorns weren't finished yet, however. Right fielder Kacie Gaskin hit a home run past the left field fence, and Crystal Saenz drove in another run with a triple to the right center wall to tie the game at two.