March 16, 2009
Greensboro, N.C. -
University of Maryland softball player Sarah Dooley has been named Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week and fellow Terrapin Michelle Takeda has garnered Co-Player of the Week honors, the conference announced Monday.
Dooley, a senior from St. Louis, Mo., collected all four victories as the Terrapins went 4-1 during this past weekend's six-team Maryland Invitational. The veteran right-hander took the circle during all five contests, pitching complete games in each of her three starts and also making two relief appearances.
Takeda, a freshman from Placentia, Calif., shares Player of the Week honors with Georgia Tech third baseman Kristen Adkins after belting three home runs with six RBIs and eight runs during a half-dozen games last week. The Terrapin outfielder batted .400 (6-for-15) and scored at least one run in each of Maryland's six games, five of which went into the win column.
Pitching 25.1 of her team's 33 total innings during the Maryland Invitational, Dooley allowed just five earned runs while scattering 13 hits. She faced 96 batters, recording 29 strikeouts with just four walks. She toed the rubber during Maryland's tournament-opening game Friday, surrendering a single earned run on four hits as the Terps topped Seton Hall, 11-1.
Dooley returned to the circle Saturday versus Delaware and went the distance again with eight strikeouts en route to a 4-3 Maryland victory. That win marked the 20th of Dooley's career. She relieved freshman Kendra Knight during Maryland's ensuing 6-2 loss to Fordham and pitched four more innings.
During Sunday's action, Dooley pitched her third complete game of the tournament, limiting Mount St. Mary's to a single unearned run during Maryland's 7-1 victory over the Mountaineers. Dooley relieved Knight yet again during the tournament finale against Howard and pitched 2.1 scoreless innings for her fourth win in three days, as Maryland rallied for an 8-4 victory.
With her performance during the Maryland Invitational, Dooley improved her season record to 6-5 and lowered her ERA to 3.27.
Takeda homered during the games against Seton Hall, Fordham and Mount St. Mary's to increase her team-leading season total to six long-balls. She added an RBI single during the 7-3 win over Towson last Wednesday and a run-scoring double Sunday versus Mount St. Mary's, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs in that contest.
Having raised her season batting average to .292 following her productive week at the plate, Takeda paces the Terps in RBIs (16) and runs (16). She also had nine putouts without an error in right field last week, making several catches on the run along the right-field line.
The Terrapins return to action this weekend with the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play. Maryland welcomes No. 15 North Carolina to Robert E. Taylor Stadium for a three-game series. The Terrapins and Tar Heels play at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Each game is free to the public.
