Feb. 13, 2011

Box Score vs. ECU | Box Score vs. Georgia

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ATHENS, Ga. - The Maryland softball team went 1-1 Sunday afternoon against 2010 NCAA Tournament team East Carolina and No. 3 Georgia in the Red & Black Showcase in Athens, Ga. The Terrapins (2-3) fought back against ECU with a three-run fourth inning and fell to the Bulldogs 8-2.

Against the Pirates, the game started as a tight pitching duel between senior Kerry Hickey and East Carolina's Toni Paisley. Both pitchers struck out the side in the first inning. Hickey earned the first hit of the game with a double to center in the bottom of the second.

The Pirates got on the board first. In the top of the fourth inning, Hickey walked leadoff batter Suzanne Riggs. Priscilla Velasquez singled with two outs. She stole second and Riggs stole home to take the 1-0 lead.

Maryland answered in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman Candice Beards led off with a double to left centerfield and freshman Amanda McCann came on to pinch run. Sophomore Lexi Carroll followed with a single and got to second on the throw. McCann scored on the play to tie the game at one.

Senior Lauren Ghent came on to pinch run for Carroll. Hickey walked to get runners on first and second with no outs. Sophomore Nikki Maier doubled to centerfield to bring in Ghent and Hickey to give Maryland a 3-1 lead.

Freshman Ashley Czechner relieved Hickey with one out in the top of the fifth inning. She gave up one hit in 2.2 innings and notched four strikeouts. Hickey ended her 4.1 innings with two hits, one earned run, two walks and six K's.

In their second game of the day, the Terrapins took on the third-ranked Bulldogs. Junior Kendra Knight started in the circle for the Terps, who fell behind early when leadoff batter Taylor Schlopy hit a solo home run to right field. In the bottom of the second inning, Julia Echols homered to right field to put Georgia up 2-0.

With one runner on, Brianna Hesson sent a two-run shot over right centerfield in the third inning. Hickey came on to finish out the inning. Kristyn Sandberg hit a solo home run for the 5-0 lead.

In the top of the fifth inning, Sloane Van Meter walked to lead off. Junior Bree Hanafin hit a two-run home run to right field to put the Terps on the board.

Hesson homered once more in the fifth innings. Czechner came on in the sixth and allowed two more runs to score.

Up next, the Terps will head to Boca Raton, Fla. to play in Florida Atlantic's annual tournament Feb. 25-27. Maryland will play Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Jacksonville and Kent State while in Boca Raton.