March 4, 2007
Auburn Box Score
Utah Box Score
Tampa, Fla. - The steady rain which washed out the Maryland softball team's Saturday game versus Auburn proved to be beneficial in the long run, as the Terrapins rallied for a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Tigers early Sunday morning following an overnight rain delay.
Maryland did not fare as well in their second makeup game of the day, an 8-1 loss to Utah.
The Terps trailed 3-1 to Auburn in the fifth inning on Saturday when a steady drizzle began, forcing the umpire to postpone the contest until early Sunday morning.
The game resumed with Maryland at bat and third baseman Lindsey Ubrun on first base with one out on the board. The Terps needed to find some offense, and Jenny Belak delivered. The junior hit a two-run triple, to bring home Ubrun and Amber Jackson, who had been walked.
The sequence was a stunning turn of events, following a Saturday in which the Tigers appeared to be firmly in control. Auburn pitcher Anna Thompson had allowed only two hits up until that point.
Their two-run lead erased, Auburn responded in the sixth inning. Stacey Jennings, who had pitched the first three innings for Maryland, returned in the sixth inning for Abbey Welch.
The Tigers quickly placed Jorja Bell on second and Lindsay Harrelson on third. Ashley Arcuri hit a sacrifice fly to left field, and the throw from left could not make it home in time to prevent Harrelson from crossing the plate to give Auburn back the lead.
With the score still 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Maryland found itself with one last chance to tie the game, and the bottom of the order due up at the plate.
Devon Williams pinch hit for Keri Lounge to start things off for the Terps, but she flied out to right field. Lindsey Ubrun hit a double off the center field wall to put a runner in scoring position.
Welch, who had moved back to left field after leaving the pitcher's circle, stepped up to the plate next. She too nailed a double, and Ubrun raced home for the tying score. It was Welch's second hit and first RBI on the season.
Holly Currie replaced Thompson at pitcher, and Auburn elected to intentionally walk Jackson. Currie then hit Belak to load the bases for Maryland.
With the entire Maryland team clapping and chanting, Jennifer Wellborn approached the plate. The senior transfer from Birmingham Southern did not disappoint. With the count at 2-2, Wellborn hit a single into center field, sending Welch home for the win.
Things had begun well for the Terrapins against Auburn. Amber Jackson, batting from the lead-off position for the first time this season, hit a home run in the Terps' first at-bat to give Maryland a 1-0 lead at the end of the first inning. It was Jackson's second home run of the tournament and her sixth on the year.
Auburn answered quickly in the top of the second, with runs by Nicole Russo and Tatiana Fernandez. A wild pitch by Maryland's Abbey Welch brought home the Tigers' Sara Ghezzi in the third inning to complete Saturday's scoring.
Amber Jackson scores 14th run of the season against Utah, but Terps fall 8-1
For the second consecutive game, Amber Jackson started the scoring for the Terps, but this time Maryland couldn't keep up the scoring. Maryland fell 8-1 to the Utes, who improved to 11-7-1.
Coach Laura Watten elected to us Jackson as the lead-off hitter again, and Utah's Meghan Dyer walked the Terp's dangerous shortstop. Jackson promptly stole second base, her tenth stolen base of the young season.
After two Terrapin outs, Lindsay Klein hit a line drive double down the right field line, to bring Jackson home. It was Jackson's 14 run of the year, and the Terps held an early 1-0 lead.
For Klein, it was her seventh RBI on the season, good for second best on the team.
From there, however, it was all Utah, as the Utes notched 14 hits in the game, many of them into the outfield. Utah had five doubles and a home run.
Terrapin outfielders Jenny Belak, Alex Schultz, and Abbey Welch came maddeningly close to catching several Utah fly balls, but often found the ball just out of reach. Schultz narrowly missed on one diving attempt, but she did lay out to make a spectacular grab in the third inning that caused the crowd to audibly gasp.
Senior Karina Cannon hit a double in the top of the second inning which drove home Kristie Keller who had also doubled. With two outs on the board, a throwing error by the Terps allowed Kelly Matthews to reach first base, and Cannon ran home after the ball flew over Klein's head at first base.
Meghan Crouse hit a single into right field to bring Matthews home, and the Utes held a 3-1 lead at the end of the second inning which they would not relinquish.
Utah scored four runs in the sixth inning, including a two-run homer by Hailey Davenport which ended the scoring.
