COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland softball team's home doubleheader with Penn State originally scheduled for Wednesday has been moved to Thursday to accommodate anticipated rainy weather conditions. First pitch between the Terrapins and the Nittany Lions is now scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday in Robert E. Taylor Stadium.

The Terps, who are facing their third Big Ten Conference opponent of the season, are coming off an Atlantic Coast Conference series victory over Boston College last weekend. By winning two of three games against the Eagles, Maryland moved into a tie with Virginia Tech for fourth place in the conference standings. The Terps also played Big Ten foes Michigan and Northwestern earlier this season.

Maryland (22-21, 7-8 ACC) has enjoyed superb performances from its pitching staff of late. Led by sophomore Kerry Hickey and senior Sarah Dooley, the team has limited its opposition to three or fewer runs in 11 of its last 14 games. During that span, Hickey has allowed just 13 earned runs with 59 strikeouts in 52 innings, earning three wins and two saves. Dooley has produced a record of 5-2 in the circle during those 14 contests.

Offensively, freshmen Vangie Galindo and Kathy McLaughlin each collected five hits during the series against the Eagles, raising their batting averages to .307 and .283, respectively. Senior Breanna Shaw had a two-run home run and RBI double versus Boston College and continues to pace the team in batting (.325) and doubles (nine).

Penn State (16-20, 5-7 Big Ten Conference) has won seven of its last nine games entering Thursday. The Nittany Lions are led by ace pitcher Jackie Hill, who ranks second in the Big Ten with an ERA of 0.87. Hill has started 17 games, compiling a record of 11-7 with 15 complete games and six shutouts.

Thursday's doubleheader is free to the public, and parking will be available in Lots 4B and 9B starting at 4 p.m.

Last Time Out
Maryland claimed its third conference series victory of the season by taking two of three games from Boston College during a home series last weekend. The Terrapins won a pair of 4-3 decisions Saturday before falling 2-1 in Sunday's 11-inning finale. The performance against Boston College enabled Maryland to tie Virginia Tech for fourth place in the ACC and equal its conference victory total from 2008.

Kathy McLaughlin launched a game-winning double to left center field to cap a nine-inning thriller during Saturday's first game. With two on and one out in the Terps' half of the ninth, McLaughlin's walk-off hit scored senior Devon Williams from second base, prompting a celebration at home plate. The team needed only the customary seven innings to dispose of the Eagles in the nightcap of the double dip.

Sarah Dooley and Kerry Hickey both turned in strong outings on the mound to notch their 11th and 10th victories of the season, respectively. McLaughlin collected four hits during the doubleheader, and Breanna Shaw tallied three RBIs and a home run. Williams added three hits and three runs.

During Saturday's first contest, Hickey pitched her third complete game in as many starts, going all nine innings - the longest outing by a Terp since former pitcher Meredith Nelles also went nine frames against Florida State on March 31, 2007. Hickey allowed just three earned runs on seven hits. She recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts, which marks the most in a single game by a member of the Terps since Nelles and fellow pitcher Crystal Crews punched out the same total during the 2006 season.

Trailing 1-0 in the third inning, the Terps found the scoreboard thanks to Shaw, who belted a two-run homer to straightaway center field. The blast scored McLaughlin, who led off the inning with a base hit. After Boston College plated two more runs in its half of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead, Maryland rallied during its final at-bat of regulation. Junior Alex Schultz, Williams and sophomore Niki Lau led off the inning with consecutive infield singles, and Williams scored on a wild pitch to force extra innings.

Saturday's second game saw Dooley pitch six strong innings, allowing three runs, all of which were unearned. Freshman Kendra Knight relieved Dooley and pitched a scoreless ninth for her second save of the season.

Facing a 3-1 deficit during the fifth inning, Maryland rallied for three runs on three hits. Lau and McLaughlin led off the inning with consecutive singles, and junior Nadine Blackie reached on an error one out later, allowing both baserunners to score. Shaw followed with her team-best ninth double of the season to plate Blackie with what proved to be the game-winning run.

Hickey and Dooley both turned in stellar performances, but Maryland fell to Boston College, 2-1, during an 11-inning marathon Sunday afternoon to conclude the series. The duo combined for 10 scoreless innings before a two-run home run by Boston College's Blair Destito during the 11th provided the game's first runs. Hickey pitched the first five innings, scattering five hits to lower her team-leading ERA to 2.14. Dooley took the mound to start the sixth inning and allowed just two earned runs in six innings of work.

Vangie Galindo collected three hits at the plate for the Terps, including her first career double. The first-year outfielder batted .500 (5-for-10) with a pair of runs during the series. McLaughlin also finished the series with five hits.

Sunday's 11-inning contest marked Maryland's longest game since playing 14 innings versus Florida State on March 31, 2007. The loss snapped the Terps' seven-game win streak in extra innings contests dating back to the 14-inning affair with the Seminoles more than two years ago.

Scouting the Competition
• Penn State (16-20, 5-7 Big Ten Conference) enters Thursday's doubleheader having won seven of its last nine games, including a two-game split at Minnesota last weekend in a pair of 1-0 decisions. The team is tied for seventh in the Big Ten standings.
• The Nittany Lions rank seventh in the Big Ten in pitching (3.14 ERA) and eighth in batting (.244). Their marquee victory came when they upset then-No. 12 Arizona on March 14. Maryland and Penn State have played four similar opponents this season - Cal, North Carolina, Northwestern and Pittsburgh.
• Sophomore Jackie Hill serves as the ace of Penn State's pitching staff, ranking second in the Big Ten with an ERA of 0.87. Hill has started 17 games, compiling a record of 11-7 with 15 complete games and six shutouts. Fellow pitcher Lisa Akamine, a freshman, has started 15 games for the Nittany Lions.
• Penn State has a balanced lineup featuring five batters hitting between .262 and .293 and this season. Senior Sam Hovanec leads the team in batting and RBIs (20). Akamine is hitting .288 with a team-best 32 hits, while senior Danielle Kinley is batting at a .270 clip with eight doubles. Junior Ashley Griffith is 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts.

ACC Rankings
The Terps currently stand first in the ACC in saves (seven), tied for first in sacrifice bunts (41), second in fewest hits allowed (224), second in triples (10), third in batters struck out (299), third in opponent's batting average (.207), fourth in fielding percentage (.967) and fourth in hits (301). Additionally, several Maryland softball players rank among the best in the ACC in their respective top statistical categories.

Junior Nadine Blackie:
• Ranks tied for seventh in the ACC in triples (two), 10th in slugging percentage (.533), tied for 12th in home runs (six), tied for 13th in stolen bases (10) and 14th in on-base percentage (.417).
Senior Sarah Dooley:
• Ranks tied for second in the ACC in saves (two), seventh in hits allowed (87), ninth in opponents' batting average (.221), ninth in wins (11) and tied for 12th in games started (16).
Sophomore Kerry Hickey:
• Ranks first in the ACC in saves (three), first in relief appearances (17), first in games finished pitching (16), tied for third in appearances (32), fifth in strikeouts (140), seventh in opponent's batting average (.202), eighth in ERA (2.14), tied for ninth in innings pitched (130.2) and tied for 10th in wins (10). Offensively, Hickey stands fourth in at bats (144) and tied for 11th in hits (43).
Freshman Kendra Knight:
• Ranks first in the ACC in fewest hits allowed (42), sixth in opponents' batting average (.193), 11th in strikeouts (86) and tied for 11th in appearances (25).
Freshman Kathy McLaughlin:
• Ranks tied for fourth in the ACC in triples (four).
Senior Breanna Shaw:
• Ranks sixth in the ACC in doubles (nine) and 14th in batting (.325).
Junior Alex Schultz
• Ranks tied for third in the ACC in hits by pitch (eight) and tied for seventh in triples (two).
Freshman Michelle Takeda:
• Ranks tied for 12th in the ACC in home runs (six).
Senior Devon Williams:
• Ranks tied for third in the ACC in sacrifice bunts (nine) and tied for seventh in triples (two).

Did You Know
Prior to dropping a 2-1 decision in 11 innings to Boston College Sunday, Maryland had won seven consecutive extra innings contests dating back more than two years. That span tied for the longest streak in team history, as Maryland also secured seven straight extra-inning wins between April 16, 2003, and April 16, 2005. During the most recent streak, the Terps claimed the following victories:
• Maryland 3, North Carolina 2 (8) on April 7, 2007
• Maryland 2, Michigan 0 (9) on Feb. 2, 2008
• Maryland 4, Coastal Carolina 3 (10) on Feb. 16, 2008
• Maryland 5, Elon 4 (8) on Feb. 16, 2008
• Maryland 9, Elon 8 (8) on Feb. 17, 2008
• Maryland 7, NC State 6 (8) on March 28, 2009
• Maryland 4, Boston College 3 (9) on April 18, 2009

Up Next
Following its home doubleheader with Penn State, Maryland returns to conference play by taking on Virginia Tech in a three-game road series this weekend in Blacksburg, Va. The Terrapins and Hokies will play a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon and finish the series with a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.