April 2, 2011

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland softball team rallied but fell short in a doubleheader Saturday vs. Atlantic Coast Conference opponent No. 25 Georgia Tech at Robert E. Taylor Stadium. Maryland fell 5-2 in game one and 4-3 in the second.

The first game was delayed twice before the weather cleared up and allowed the games to be played.

The Terps (22-11, 2-2 ACC) fought behind strong pitching in both games, but the Yellow Jackets (30-6, 5-0 ACC), who lead the nation in home runs, hit four to score six of their nine runs on the day. Maryland outhit Georgia Tech 10-6 between the two games.

Senior Kerry Hickey started both games in the circle for the Terrapins, pitching 9.0 innings total and 7.0 in game two. She gave up just three hits, including two home runs, and tallied 12 strikeouts.

Junior Kendra Knight pitched four innings in the first game and gave up three hits, including two home runs, along with seven strikeouts. Freshman Ashley Czechner did not allow a hit in her appearance in the seventh innings of game one.

Sara Acosta, Vangie Galindo, Bree Hanafin and Nikki Maier each had two hits on the day.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning in game one, Hanafin tied the game up with an RBI single in the bottom of the third.

Georgia Tech's Alysha Rudnik answered with a three-run home run over the right field wall in the top of the fourth to put the Jackets up 4-1. The Terps added their second run in the bottom of the fifth when Acosta scored on a passed ball. Rudnik added the Jackets' final home run with a solo shot to center in the top of the sixth.

Rudnik put Georgia Tech on the board in the top of the first of the second game with her third home run of the day, another solo shot. They added two more runs in the top of the second when Jessica Sinclair hit a two-run homer to right center.

Maryland got on the board when Hickey knocked in a run with a fielders' choice in the bottom of the third. Maier tied it up in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run over the centerfield wall. Georgia Tech scored its fourth and final run on an RBI bunt.

In the bottom of the seventh, Acosta, Galindo and Hanafin all got on to load the bases with no outs. Hickey struck out and Marisha Branson reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Lexi Carroll reached on a fielder's choice, but Branson was called out at second.

Catcher Samantha Mallory, who leads the ACC in base runners caught stealing, picked off two of the Jackets' stolen base runners.

Maryland and Georgia Tech will take the field at 1 p.m. Sunday at Robert E. Taylor Stadium. Admission and parking are both free.

Fans can listen to Maryland head coach Laura Watten live on WMUCSports.com every Monday at 5 p.m. Listen to the Terps' leader discuss the previous week's games and look ahead to the upcoming schedule.