Feb. 27, 2009

Box Score

DELAND, Fla. - Senior Breanna Shaw and freshman Michelle Takeda headlined an opportunistic offensive performance and sophomore Kerry Hickey pitched 5.1 strong innings as the University of Maryland softball team opened the Stetson Hatter Classic with an 8-3 victory over Centenary College Friday afternoon.

The Terrapins equaled their season-best run output, as Shaw and Takeda notched three hits, two RBIs and two runs apiece. Each total marked career highs for Takeda and season highs for Shaw. Both players tallied a pair of doubles and Hickey also secured a two-bagger, enabling Maryland to record a season-high five doubles.

Toeing the rubber for the 10th time this season, Hickey allowed two earned runs on three hits with five strikeouts. The Huntingtown, Md., native pitched into the sixth inning in earning her team-high third win. Senior Sarah Dooley took the mound for the final 1.2 innings, striking out three in recording the Terps' first save of the season and the fourth of her career.

By the time Hickey (3-2) surrendered Centenary College's first hit of the game during the bottom of the fifth inning, four Terrapin baserunners had crossed home plate.

Following 1-2-3 innings by both teams in the first, the Terps went to work during the top of the second inning, with Shaw lashing a double right field. The fourth-year player from Ellenwood, Ga., advanced to third on a walk by junior Alex Schultz and scored when junior Nadine Blackie was hit by a pitch.

Shaw proved to be the catalyst yet again when Maryland (4-8) tacked on another run in the ensuing inning. Sophomore Niki Lau led off third with a bunt single, and Shaw drove in the run two outs later with her second double in as many at bats.

Maryland added two more runs in the fourth, as Takeda started the inning with her first career double and scored on an error. Blackie walked, stole second for her team-leading fourth stolen base of the season and scored on a two-out RBI single by Lau.

Freshman Kathy McLaughlin recorded the first hit and RBI of her career during the sixth inning, scoring Takeda, who led off the inning with a single. The Terps then proceeded to blow the game open during their half of the seventh inning, when Shaw's RBI base hit scored Hickey and Takeda's second double of the afternoon produced two more runs.

Lau finished with a pair of hits and one RBI. The Centennial, Colo., native now is batting .320 (8-of-25) during her last seven games. For Shaw, her performance against Centenary College marked her team-best fourth multi-hit game of 2009.

Katie Matthews hit a pair of home runs for Centenary College (10-5) in the losing effort. Fellow freshman Hillary Phillips (5-2) took the loss after allowing five earned runs in five innings of work.

Maryland resumes play in the Stetson Hatter Classic by taking on tournament host Stetson at 6:30 p.m. today at Patricia Wilson Field. Live stats for each tournament game are available at the following link: Hatter Classic Live Stats

Maryland (4-8)           000 000 0 -  8 10  0
Centenary College (10-5) 000 020 1 -  3  4  2