April 8, 2009

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Junior Nadine Blackie enjoyed a career day at the plate Wednesday, batting 6-for-6 with three home runs and four RBIs, as the University of Maryland softball team earned a split with Hofstra in Robert E. Taylor Stadium. The Terrapins claimed a 4-2 victory in the first game but fell to the Pride in the nightcap, 5-1.

During Wednesday's first contest, Blackie registered the first multi-home run game of the season by a Maryland player, blasting a solo shot to right field in the first inning and connecting on two-run homer to center in the fifth. In between the long balls, she added an infield single in the third inning.

The second half of the twin bill saw Blackie go deep yet again during the first inning, this time to left center, to give her a home run to each part of the park on the day. The Delta, British Columbia, native tallied singles to left field in her final two at bats and also stole a base.

With her performance Wednesday, Blackie, a transfer in her first year at Maryland, doubled her career home run total to six to tie freshman Michelle Takeda for the team's season lead. She also raised her batting average by 46 points to a team-leading .356 clip.

"Nadine did a tremendous job for our team today," head coach Laura Watten said. "You can't expect that type of performance every game, but this definitely demonstrated what she is capable of. She brings an ideal blend of speed and power to our lineup."

Whereas Blackie bolstered the team offensively, senior Sarah Dooley contributed another strong performance on the mound during Wednesday's first game for Maryland (20-17, 5-4 Atlantic Coast Conference). The veteran right-hander scattered five hits in six innings of work, allowing just two earned runs. Dooley (10-6) has now claimed victory in nine of her last 10 decisions.

Sophomore Kerry Hickey relieved Dooley and struck out the side in the ninth inning for her conference-leading third save of the season.

In addition to Blackie's display of power, the Terps were able to manufacture a run during Wednesday's first game thanks to some aggressive baserunning. When senior Devon Williams notched an infield single with two outs in the second inning, junior Alex Schultz hustled all the way from first to third. The ensuing play saw Williams steal second base and Schultz get caught in a rundown, avoiding a tag long enough to induce an error and cross home plate, stretching the lead to 2-0.

Blackie's second home run of the game, a two-run blast that easily cleared the center field fence, proved important when Hofstra tallied two runs of its own in the top of the sixth. But Hickey closed the door on Hofstra (17-13) in the seventh inning, enabling Maryland to extend its win streak to a season-long six games by beating the Pride's ace pitcher, senior Kayleigh Lotti (11-5).

During the second half of the doubleheader, Blackie's third home run of the day proved not to be enough, as Hofstra generated three runs in the second and added a run apiece in both the fourth and fifth innings. Hickey (9-5) took the loss after surrendering four earned runs in four innings on the mound. Hofstra sophomore Sara Michalowski (2-2) pitched a complete game to earn the victory and also had a pair of hits at the plate.

The Terps turned in spectacular plays in the field during both of Wednesday's contests. With two outs and runners on second and third in the fifth inning of the first game, freshman Kathy McLaughlin fielded a sharply-hit grounder backhand at shortstop and gunned out the batter to thwart the threat. The second game saw sophomore Niki Lau snare an over-the-shoulder catch in center field and Schultz make a diving play in right.

Maryland returns to ACC play this weekend with a three-game series against No. 21 Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla. The Terrapins and Seminoles are scheduled to play at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday and close out the series at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Game 1

Hofstra    000 002 0 - 2  5  3
Maryland   110 020 X - 4  8  1

LOB - Hofstra 6; Maryland 4. 2B - Sara Michalowski; Melissa Hodge; Michelle Takeda. 3B - Casey Fee. HR - Nadine Blackie, 2. HBP - Alex Schultz. SB - Alex Schultz; Devon Williams. CS - Nadine Blackie. W - Sarah Dooley (10-6). L - Kayleigh Lotti (11-5). S - Kerry Hickey (3).

Game 2

Hofstra    030 110 0 - 5  6  0
Maryland   100 000 0 - 1  6  0

LOB - Hofstra 7; Maryland 4. 2B - Sara Michalowski; Erika Bernstein. 3B - Trisha Dreslinski. HR - Nadine Blackie. HBP - Carolann Lubach; Joanna Kralowetz; Trisha Dreslinski. SH - Niki Lau. SB - Kris Root; Nadine Blackie. W - Sara Michalowski (2-2). L - Kerry Hickey (9-5).