COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland softball team opens a seven-game homestand to conclude the regular season by playing host to a pair of doubleheaders this week in Robert E. Taylor Stadium. The Terrapins take on George Washington Tuesday and Delaware State Wednesday, with both twin bills set to get underway at 5 p.m.

Maryland (25-23, 9-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) is coming off a series victory at Virginia Tech last weekend. By taking two of three games from the Hokies, the Terrapins claimed sole possession of fourth place in the ACC standings heading into its regular season finale home series with conference leader Georgia Tech this weekend. Maryland now has won nine of its last 14 ACC matchups and has accumulated its most conference victories in a season since winning 11 league games in 1999.

The Terps continue to be extremely effective in the pitching circle of late. Led by right-handed pitchers Sarah Dooley (13-9, 2.97 ERA) and Kerry Hickey (11-8, 2.23 ERA), Maryland has limited opponents to an average of 2.9 runs per game during its last 19 contests and lowered its team ERA to 2.88.

Offensively, three Maryland batters - junior Nadine Blackie, sophomore Niki Lau and freshman Michelle Takeda - each carry five-game hit streaks into Tuesday's doubleheader with George Washington. Blackie and Lau tallied six hits apiece last week during a quartet of games versus Virginia Tech and Penn State, raising their respective batting averages to .317 and .290.

Maryland has experienced tremendous success historically against both George Washington (14-31, 4-16 Atlantic-10) and Delaware State (21-16, 7-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference). The Terps stand 7-1 all-time against the Colonials and 9-0 versus the Hornets.

Each of Tuesday and Wednesday's games are free to the public. Parking will be available in Lots 4B and 9B both days starting at 4 p.m.

Last Time Out
Maryland took two of three games from host Virginia Tech last weekend to claim its fourth ACC series victory of the season. The Terps bested the Hokies, 5-4, in the series opener Saturday and earned a 4-1 victory during Sunday's rubber match.

Pitchers Kerry Hickey and Sarah Dooley held the Hokes lineup in check Sunday, combining to allow just six hits in seven innings. Hickey (11-8) started on the circle and scattered five hits over 4.2 innings, surrendering just one earned run with five strikeouts. Dooley pitched two scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits and maintaining the Terps' three-run cushion. Hickey returned to the mound in the seventh inning with two runners on base to record the game's final out and preserve the victory.

Making the first plate appearances of her collegiate career, freshman Kendra Knight led the way offensively, tallying a pair of base hits. The Virginia Beach, Va., native singled up the middle to lead off the third inning, joining junior Lydia Fowler and sophomore Marisha Branson as the third Maryland player this season to secure a hit in her first career at bat. Knight added another leadoff single during the seventh inning.

Maryland's batters capitalized on a pair of Virginia Tech errors and were able to manufacture runs against Hokies ace pitcher Kenzie Roark. The Terps had their leadoff batter reach base on four occasions and stole four bases, including two by freshman Kathy McLaughlin. Senior Devon Williams tallied an RBI for Maryland, and the team added three more unearned runs.

Trailing 4-0 after the first five innings of Saturday's series opener, the Terrapins stormed back for three runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh to claim victory. The come-from-behind win marked Maryland's fourth of the season when down after five frames. Down 4-3, Niki Lau started Maryland's seventh inning off with a single, and McLaughlin followed by reaching on an infield hit. After Lau scored on a wild pitch, Galindo lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score McLaughlin with what proved to be the game-winning run.

Dooley pitched 2.1 scoreless innings in relief during the first game to earn her team-best 13th victory of the season. The veteran right-hander struck out three of the 11 batters she faced, allowing only two hits. With runners on second and third and two down in the bottom of the seventh, starting pitcher Hickey reentered and struck out Virginia Tech junior Whitney Davis for the game's final out to claim her conference-leading fourth save.

McLaughlin collected three hits and sophomore Jennifer Anderson drove in a run in both games. In addition to Anderson, seven Maryland players - McLaughlin, Hickey, Williams, Nadine Blackie and fellow junior Alex Schultz and freshmen Vangie Galindo and Michelle Takeda - each produced an RBI during the doubleheader.

Scouting the Competition
• George Washington (14-31, 4-16 Atlantic-10) has lost three consecutive games since an extra-inning victory over Towson on April 23. A highlight of the Colonials' season came in March, when they won three of four games during the Colonial Classic, including a 2-1 upset of Pittsburgh.
• Sophomore Katie Terrazas and freshman Krissy Mackiewicz have been the Colonials top hitters this season. Terrazas leads the team in batting (.260), hits (33), RBIs (16), runs (15) and total bases (53). Mackiewicz has 31 hits and a team-best nine stolen bases.
• Junior Amanda Gabriel (9-14, 2.72 ERA) has struck out 169 batters in 157 innings pitched this season. Eighteen of her 21 starts have resulted in complete game performances. Three other players (freshmen Kara Clauss and Heidi Penna and senior Carrie Higdon) also have taken the mound for George Washington in 2009.
• Delaware State (21-16, 7-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) sits atop the Northern Division of the MEAC and has won six of its last seven contests. The Hornets have a team batting average of .288 with 54 stolen bases.
• Sophomore Andrea Waters leads the Hornets in batting (.355), hits (39), runs (32), home runs (five) and total bases (66). She is also 17-for-17 in stolen base attempts. Five other Delaware State players - sophomore Allison Rubin, junior Jo Jo Shields and freshmen Casey Beighly, Breanne Parr and Rachel Carroll - are batting at least .300 this season.
• Junior Brittney Ruark an ERA of 1.83, with 14 wins, 12 complete games and four shutouts. Opposing batters are hitting just .205 against her. Beighly (3-3, 2.89) also has toed the rubber for the Hornets this season.

Series Histories
Maryland has dominated its all-time series with George Washington, winning seven of the first eight meetings, including the last four matchups. The Colonials' lone victory was a 6-4 extra-inning decision in 2006. During its seven victories, Maryland has averaged 7.5 runs per game and limited George Washington to two total runs.

The Terps have never lost against Delaware State, posting an all-time record of 9-0, including a pair of wins a year ago. However, each of the last five matchups between the Terps and Hornets has been decided by three runs or less.

ACC Rankings
The Terps currently stand first in the ACC in saves (eight), first in sacrifice bunts (50), second in triples (10), third in fewest hits allowed (257), third in batters struck out (327), third in opponent's batting average (.212) and fourth in fielding percentage (.966). 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), 12th in slugging percentage (.520), tied for 13th in home runs (six) and tied for 14th in on-base percentage (.414).
Senior Sarah Dooley:
• Ranks tied for third in the ACC in saves (two), eighth in hits allowed (101), tied for eighth in wins (12), ninth in opponents' batting average (.224), and ninth in appearances (29).
Sophomore Kerry Hickey:
• Ranks first in the ACC in saves (four), first in games finished pitching (17), tied for first in relief appearances (17), second in appearances (35), fifth in strikeouts (155), seventh in opponent's batting average (.208), eighth in ERA (2.23), eighth in innings pitched (147.1) and tied for 11th in wins (11).
Offensively, Hickey stands tied for fourth in at bats (158) and 11th in hits (47). Freshman Kendra Knight:
• Ranks first in the ACC in fewest hits allowed (45), sixth in opponents' batting average (.198) and 12th in strikeouts (88).
Freshman Kathy McLaughlin:
• Ranks tied for fourth in the ACC in triples (four).
Senior Breanna Shaw:
• Ranks tied for seventh in the ACC in doubles (nine) and 12th in batting (.331).
Junior Alex Schultz
• Ranks third in the ACC in hits by pitch (nine) and tied for seventh in triples (two).
Freshman Michelle Takeda:
• Ranks tied for 13th in the ACC in home runs (six).
Senior Devon Williams:
• Ranks tied for first in the ACC in sacrifice bunts (11) and tied for seventh in triples (two).

Did You Know
The Terrapins accounted for seven runs during the sixth innings of Saturday's doubleheader at Virginia Tech. Maryland tallied three runs during the sixth inning of the first game and added a four-run sixth during the night cap. The team now has accumulated 34 total runs during the sixth inning this season - its most during any single inning. The Terps have outscored their opponents by seven runs in that inning.

Up Next
Following its pair of doubleheaders this week, Maryland returns to ACC action this weekend by playing host to Georgia Tech in both team's regular season finale series. The Terrapins and Yellow Jackets will play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m. and finish the series with a single game Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday's contest will serve