COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Winners of nine of its last 12 games, the University of Maryland softball team concludes its regular season by taking on No. 16/23 Georgia Tech this weekend in a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series in Robert E. Taylor Stadium. The Terrapins and the conference-leading Yellow Jackets will play a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday, both at 1 p.m.

Each game this weekend is free to the public, and parking will be available in Lots 4B and 9B. Sunday's contest will serve as Senior Day for Terrapin seniors Sarah Dooley, Breanna Shaw and Devon Williams. That trio, which has accumulated a combined 374 games played during their impressive careers, will be honored prior to the start of the series finale.

Maryland (29-23, 9-9 ACC) enters this weekend's action riding a five-game win streak and vying for its fourth consecutive 30-win season under head coach Laura Watten. The Terps swept a pair of home doubleheaders this week, defeating George Washington, 2-0 and 2-1, Tuesday before knocking off Delaware State, 9-1 and 7-0, Wednesday.

Dooley led the way for the Terps against the Colonials and Hornets with a quartet of dominating pitching performances. Starting in the circle during all four games, the veteran right-hander posted three wins, three complete games and a pair of shutouts. She allowed a single unearned run in 23 innings of work with 31 strikeouts, including a career-best 12 in the second game against Delaware State. Dooley, who now ranks tied for fourth all-time at Maryland with 11 career shutouts, has pitched 25 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run dating back to Sunday's win at Virginia Tech.

Several younger players produced at the plate during the pair of doubleheader sweeps. Sophomore Jennifer Anderson launched a game-winning home run during the fourth inning of Tuesday's first game, and freshman Michelle Takeda connected on a two-run shot en route to tallying five RBIs Wednesday. Kathy McLaughlin was 5-for-7 at the plate during the sweep of Delaware State, and fellow freshman Vangie Galindo stole four bases.

Georgia Tech (38-13, 15-3 ACC) enters the weekend series looking to clinch the ACC regular season title and the No. 1 seed in next week's conference championship. The Yellow Jackets have claimed victory in 11 consecutive conference contests and have won all six of their ACC series thus far this season. They lead the ACC in most offensive categories, including batting (.310) and runs (298) and home runs (59).

The Yellow Jackets currently are ranked in both national polls. They are No. 16 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 and No. 23 in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25.

Last Time Out
Sarah Dooley's stretch of masterful pitching performances continued Wednesday and the Maryland softball team was the beneficiary, sweeping a doubleheader with Delaware State in Taylor Stadium. The Terrapins claimed 9-1 and 7-0 victories over the Hornets, as Dooley pitched a pair of complete games, including a shutout, for her 15th and 16th wins of the season.

Taking the circle just 20 hours after tossing 10 scoreless innings during Tuesday's doubleheader sweep of George Washington, Dooley was even more dominant Wednesday against Delaware State. The veteran right-hander went the distance during Wednesday's first game, striking out a then-career high 11 and allowing just two baserunners and one unearned run.

Not to be outdone, Dooley (16-9) started on the mound yet again during Wednesday's nightcap, and the results were similar. She set a new career-best by fanning 12 opposing batters during game two en route to her fourth shutout of the season, including her third in a week's span for Maryland (29-23, 9-9 Atlantic Coast Conference).

The Terps provided Dooley with plenty of run support Wednesday, pounding out 18 hits during the two contests and swiping 10 bases, including a season-high six steals during the first game. A number of young players made key contributions offensively against Delaware State (21-20). Michelle Takeda collected three hits, including a two-run home run, and five RBIs, and Kathy McLaughlin was 5-for-7 at the plate during the doubleheader. Vangie Galindo and sophomore Marisha Branson tallied three hits apiece Wednesday, with Branson notching two doubles and three RBIs.

For Takeda, her performance at the plate Wednesday enabled her to tie for 10th all-time on Maryland's single-season home run list, now with seven. The first-year outfielder also increased her team-leading RBI total to 24 and extended her hit streak to eight games.

Scouting the Competition
• Georgia Tech enters the weekend series looking to clinch the ACC regular season title and the No. 1 seed in next week's conference championship. The Yellow Jackets have claimed victory in 11 consecutive conference contests and have won all six of their ACC series thus far this season.
• The Yellow Jackets boast the ACC's top offense, ranking first in batting (.310), slugging percentage (.513), on-base percentage (.399), runs (298), hits (415), RBIs (271), doubles (78), home runs (59) and total bases (686). Georgia Tech also stands third in the ACC with a team ERA of 2.16.
• Freshman Kelsi Weseman (.417), junior Jen Yee (.400) and senior Whitney Haller (.399) currently ranks second, third and fourth, respectively in the ACC in batting. Yee, Haller and senior Tiffany Johnson each have double-digit home run totals, and Haller has a team-best 50 RBIs. Senior Blair Shimandle and sophomore Christy Jones lead the team with 20 stolen bases apiece.
• Johnson and sophomore Kristen Adkins form a dynamic duo in the pitching circle for the Yellow Jackets. Adkins has a record of 20-7 with a 1.69 ERA and 14 complete games. Johnson is 13-3 with an ERA of 1.84 and 129 strikeouts in 122 innings pitched. Adkins and Johnson boast five and four shutouts, respectively, for Georgia Tech this season.

ACC Rankings
The Terps currently stand first in the ACC in saves (eight), first in sacrifice bunts (58), second in triples (10), third in batters struck out (364), third in opponent's batting average (.208), fourth in fewest hits allowed (271) 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), tied for 14th in home runs (six) and 15th in on-base percentage (.408).
Senior Sarah Dooley:
• Ranks tied for third in the ACC in saves (two), tied for sixth in appearances (33), seventh in wins (16), eighth in opponents' batting average (.215) and 11th in hits allowed (114).
Freshman Vangie Galindo:
• Ranks tied for 12th in the ACC in stolen bases (13).
Sophomore Kerry Hickey:
• Ranks first in the ACC in saves (four), first in games finished pitching (18), first in relief appearances (18), second in appearances (36), fifth in strikeouts (161), sixth in innings pitched (151.1), seventh in opponent's batting average (.205), eighth in ERA (2.22) and tied for 10th in wins (12). Offensively, Hickey stands tied for fourth in at bats (164) 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) and tied for 13th in stolen bases (12).
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 (11) and tied for seventh in triples (two).
Freshman Michelle Takeda:
• Ranks tied for 10th in the ACC in home runs (seven).
Senior Devon Williams:
• Ranks tied for first in the ACC in sacrifice bunts (11) and tied for seventh in triples (two).

Did You Know
In Sarah Dooley (16-9) and Kerry Hickey (12-8), the Terps have two pitchers with at least a dozen victories in a season for the first time since former Maryland hurlers Jessica Aditays (13-14) and Monica Cyphert (12-9) in 2004.

Up Next
Following its regular season finale series with Georgia Tech, Maryland will compete in the ACC Championship, which takes place May 8-10 in Raleigh, N.C. The 18th annual conference tournament will feature a single-elimination format and be played in NC State's Curtis and Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium.