Feb. 19, 2009
Box Score
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -
Senior Devon Williams tallied a career-best three RBIs and sophomore Kerry Hickey homered and pitched 6.2 solid innings as the University of Maryland softball team bested UC Santa Barbara, 7-3, Thursday evening to claim its first victory of the 2009 season.
Playing their opening contest in the prestigious Cathedral City Classic, the Terrapins enjoyed a breakout game offensively, accounting for season highs in runs and hits (10) while having every batter contribute at least one base hit. Hickey and junior Lydia Fowler blasted Maryland's first home runs of the season, and senior Breanna Shaw added two hits and a pair of runs scored.
The Maryland offense wasted no time getting on track registering three runs on three hits in the top of the first inning. Making her Terrapin debut, freshman Vangie Galindo led off the game with a single, becoming Maryland's third newcomer this season to claim a hit in her first at-bat with the team. Sophomore Niki Lau followed with a base hit, and Shaw reached after being hit by a pitch two outs later. That set the table for Williams, a senior from Cleveland, N.C. who lined a bases-clearing double to left center field to provide Maryland a 3-0 lead it would not relinquish.
Entering the circle with one out in the bottom of the first inning in relief of starter Kendra Knight, Hickey (1-1) pitched the remainder of the contest, surrendering a single run on four hits, to earn the win. The Terps' right-hander faced 27 batters, striking out seven and allowing just two walks.
Soon after the Gauchos scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the first, the Terps (1-5) struck again, as Hickey homered to left field in the third inning off UC Santa Barbara starter MeLinda Matsumoto. For the Huntingtown, Md., native, the solo shot marked the team's first of the season and the fifth of her career. It extended Hickey's hitting streak to six games to start the 2009 season.
The Terps tacked on another run in the fourth inning to push their lead to 5-2. Freshman Michelle Takeda and sophomore Marisha Branson notched consecutive one-out singles, and Galindo walked to load the bases. Takeda scored on a wild pitch, though the Gauchos avoided further damage.
Fowler rounded out Maryland's scoring by drilling her first home run as a Terp to left field with two outs in the fifth inning. The blast scored Shaw, who had walked two batters prior.
Matsumoto (1-2) took the loss for UC Santa Barbara (5-5) after giving up five earned runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings of work. The junior pitcher entered Thursday's game having only allowed six earned runs in 19 innings pitched.
Playing second base, Branson threw out a runner at the plate during the fifth inning to help thwart a UC Santa Barbara rally. Maryland was perfect in the field for the third time in six games thus far in 2009.
The Terps return to action at 11 p.m. tonight when they take on Hawai'i in their second of six games as part of the Cathedral City Classic.
Maryland (1-5) 301 120 0 - 7 10 0
UCSB (5-5) 200 010 0 - 3 5 0
LOB - Maryland 6; UCSB 8. 2B - Devon Williams; Brooke Putich. HR - Kerry Hickey; Lydia Fowler. HBP - Breanna Shaw. SH - Alex Schultz; Devon Williams. SB - Christine Ramos, 2. W - Kerry Hickey (1-1). L - MeLinda Matsumoto (1-2).
