March 29, 2009

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Junior Alex Schultz hit a walk-off single up the middle in the bottom of the eighth inning to score pinch runner Lauren Ghent and send the University of Maryland softball team to a dramatic 7-6 victory over Atlantic Coast Conference foe NC State in extra innings Sunday afternoon.

The Terrapins stormed back from a 6-2 deficit with a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth frames to force extra innings. After pitcher Sarah Dooley induced a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth, junior Lydia Fowler led off the bottom of the inning by reaching on an error and giving way to Ghent on the basepaths. Senior Devon Williams followed with a sacrifice bunt to advance Ghent to second base, setting up Schultz's big hit to cap Maryland's first extra-inning game of the season. The victory extends the team's win streak in extra-inning contests to six games dating back nearly two years.

Vangie Galindo contributed a career-high three hits along with two stolen bases, and fellow freshman Kathy McLaughlin added two hits, including her team-best fourth triple of the season. Senior Breanna Shaw and freshman Michelle Takeda tallied two RBIs apiece for Maryland (16-16, 2-4 ACC), which took two-of-three games from NC State this weekend in a series in which every contest was decided by a single run.

Dooley (8-6) earned her second victory in as many games after pitching the final 3.2 innings in relief. The senior right-hander from St. Louis, Mo., allowed just two hits and one earned run while striking out four. For Dooley, it marked her seventh victory in her last eight decisions.

"This was an excellent win for us today against a very good NC State team," head coach Laura Watten said. "We showed a lot of heart rallying back from down four runs, and it's always exciting when you win on a walk-off hit in extra innings."

Maryland went to work immediately against NC State (16-13, 3-3 ACC), scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. McLaughlin and Galindo led off with consecutive singles, and sophomore Kerry Hickey loaded the bases with a base hit one out later. Takeda followed with a two-out, two-run single to increase her team-leading RBI total to 18 and give the Terps an early 2-0 advantage.

After a five-run fifth gave NC State a 6-2 lead, Maryland rallied for two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore Niki Lau pinch hit and bunted for a single, Galindo reached on an error and junior Nadine Blackie drew a walk to load the bases. Shaw then came through with yet another two-out hit, as her single down the left field line enabled Lau and Galindo to score and trimmed the margin to 6-4.

The Terps tied the game at six during the ensuing inning thanks to a trio of first-year players. Fowler led off the inning with a sharp single to left field, and McLaughlin tripled to left center to produce another run. Galindo beat out a two-out infield hit for her third single of the game to plate McLaughlin.

Neither team could generate offense during the seventh inning, prompting Maryland's first extra-inning game since going eight innings against Elon on Feb. 17, 2008. The Terrapins have not lost in extra frames since a 14-inning affair at Florida State on March 31, 2007.

Hickey started Sunday's contest and went the first 3.2 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts. She gave way to freshman Kendra Knight, who pitched two-thirds of an inning before Dooley took over and remained on the mound for the Terps the rest of the game.

Maryland opens conference road play by taking on Virginia in a three-game series in Charlottesville, Va., next weekend. The Terrapins and Cavaliers play at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, and 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 5.

NC State (16-13, 3-3 ACC)   001 050 00 - 6  8  3
Maryland (16-16, 2-4 ACC)   200 022 01 - 7 11  0