University of Maryland Athletics

Terps Face ECU in NCAA Opener

Softball Maryland Athletics

Terps Face ECU in NCAA Opener

May 18, 2011

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    COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland softball team will open its NCAA Regionals road when it plays host to East Carolina Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Robert E. Taylor Stadium. The Terps (39-17, 12-7 ACC) will make the first back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in program history.

    In addition to Conference USA champion East Carolina (39-20, 14-10 C-USA), the Terrapins will welcome 11th-seeded Baylor (40-12, 11-7 Big 12) and Patriot League champion Lehigh (33-21, 14-5 PL) to College Park for a double-elimination tournament over the weekend. The winner will move on the NCAA Super Regionals.

    Saturday's games will be played at noon, 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday's game will be at noon and if necessary, a second game will be played at 2:30 p.m. Teams playing in those games will be determined upon results of Friday's games.

    All fans are advised that the University of Maryland Commencement and Graduation ceremonies will be taking place Thursday and Friday in the Comcast Center, which is adjacent to Robert E. Taylor Stadium. Fans planning to attend Friday's games should prepare for heavy traffic and limited parking. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as parking will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis in all parking lots surrounding Taylor Stadium.

    Tickets for the weekend pass are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors, youths, and college students. Single day passes are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors, youths, and students. Please call 1-800-IM-A-TERP or visit the Terrapin Ticket Office online at umterps.com.

    All those requesting media credentials should contact Rose DiPaula at rdipaula@umd.edu as soon as possible.

    NCAA COLLEGE PARK REGIONALS SCHEDULE
    Friday, May 20
    Game 1: #11 Baylor (H) vs. Lehigh (A) 5 p.m.
    Game 2: Maryland (H) vs. East Carolina (A) 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, May 21
    Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 noon
    Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2:30 p.m.
    Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 5 pm

    Sunday, May 22
    Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 noon
    Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 2:30 p.m.(only if needed)

    QUICK HITS

  • The Maryland softball team heads into NCAA Regionals with a 39-17 overall record.
  • Most recently, the Terps advanced to the ACC Semifinals for the first time since 1999.
  • Senior Kerry Hickey was named the ACC's Pitcher of the Year and was named to the All-ACC First Team. She is the first Terp to win an individual award since 1999.
  • Junior Vangie Galindo earned a spot on the All-ACC First Team and junior Bree Hanafin was named to the Second Team.
  • Sophomore Sara Acosta went 3-for-5 on the weekend with three runs scored to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team.
  • Maryland is in NCAA Regionals for the third time in school history. They first went in 1999 and hosted last year.
  • Head Coach Laura Watten is 203-143 at Maryland and 525-350 in her career heading into the weekend.
  • As a program, the Terps are 541-406 since 1995.

    HOT HITTERS

  • Junior Vangie Galindo is leading the Terps with her batting average of .420. Junior Bree Hanafin is second on the team with a .361 clip. Galindo's average puts her at No. 34 in the country currently.
  • Galindo's career average of .331 is currently the best in Maryland history.
  • Galindo leads the ACC in hits with 74, and on May 8, she broke Maryland's single season hits record of 70, set by Jenny Belak in 2006.
  • Senior Marisha Branson's .302 career average is No. 6 in the Terps' history. Her .331 average this season is in the top 15 of single season averages. Sara Acosta's .288 career average is No. 8.

    TERPS IN REGIONALS

  • The Terps are entering NCAA Regionals for the second straight year and third time in school history. Their first appearance was in 1999.
  • Maryland hosted NCAA Regionals for the first time ever last year when 14th-seeded Oklahoma, Fordham and Syracuse all came to College Park.
  • Watten has coached her teams to six Regionals appearances (five at Bethune Cookman) and one Super Regionals appearance (Bethune Cookman in 2005).
  • The Terps took 2 of 3 meetings from ECU this year. Maryland won the first meeting 3-1 on Feb. 13 at the Red and Black Showcase in Athens, Ga.
  • East Carolina came to College Park for a doubleheader on March 9. The Pirates took the first game 3-2 and the Terps took the second 4-2.

    A LOOK BACK

  • The Terrapins went 1-2 in last year's Regionals.
  • They fell to Fordham 2-1 in the Friday night game. The Terps took the early lead thanks to a base hit by Galindo, who eventually scored on an RBI base hit by Kerry Hickey. Fordham rallied for the win.
  • Maryland beat Big East champion Syracuse 4-1 on Saturday, thanks to a 2-RBI base hit by Branson in the first that started the offense.
  • The Terrapins were eliminated Saturday after a 5-2 loss to Fordham.

    LAST TIME OUT

  • In last weekend's ACC Tournament, the Terps advanced to the Semifinals for the first time since 1999.
  • In game one, the Terrapins never led until the bottom of the seventh. With runners on first and third with one out, Hanafin hit a walk-off RBI to score Lauren Ghent for the winning run.
  • The Terrapins fell to the 2-seed, North Carolina, 7-3 Saturday. After tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the first, Tar Heels pinch hitter Kelsey Green hit a three-run homer in the fourth.

    MAJOR MILESTONES

  • On May 8, Galindo broke the Terps' season hits record with her 71st hit this year. It was a bunt single to third in the bottom of the first.
  • Both senior Kerry Hickey and junior Kendra Knight are in the top five on the Terps' all-time career strikeout list.
  • Hickey earned her 600th strikeout at Florida State and was the third Terp to break the 500-mark. She is No. 2 in career strikeouts with 660.
  • Knight recorded her 400th career strikeout last year and has 458 in her career, making her just the fifth Terrapin pitcher to break the 400-mark.
  • As a staff, the Terrapins broke the team strikeout record of 471 in a season, set last year in 2010. They have 473 this year.
  • Galindo and Branson are both currently in the top 10 of the Terps' career batting average list. Galindo leads with her .331 average.
  • Galindo is also in the top five in stolen bases.
  • Galindo and Hanafin are both currently in the top 15 of Maryland's single season average list, as well as the single season hits list.

    POWER PITCHING

  • The Terrapin pitching staff leads the ACC in strikeouts with 474 and 135 struck out looking.
  • Maryland's pitching unit also leads the league with a 1.82 ERA, which is No. 23 in the country.
  • The Terrapins have given up the fewest hits (252) and fewest runs (122) in the league.
  • The Terps' opposing batting average is the best in the league - .183.
  • Hickey, freshman Ashley Czechner and Knight are Nos. 3,4 and 5 in the ACC in ERA.
  • Czechner's and Knight's opposing batting averages of .166 and .186 are Nos. 1 and 3 in the ACC, respectively. Hickey's .195 is fifth.
  • Knight is No. 19 and Hickey is No. 51 in the country in hits allowed her seven innings. Hickey is also No. 34 in shutouts.
  • Hickey is No. 38 in strikeouts. In strikeouts per seven innings, Hickey is No. 31 and Knight is No. 53.
  • Hickey threw her 11th career no-hitter April 23 at Florida State.

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    Players Mentioned

    Jenny Belak

    #21 Jenny Belak

    OF
    5' 6"
    Junior
    Lauren Ghent

    #3 Lauren Ghent

    OF
    5' 4"
    Freshman
    Kerry Hickey

    #8 Kerry Hickey

    P/OF
    5' 7"
    Freshman

    Players Mentioned

    Jenny Belak

    #21 Jenny Belak

    5' 6"
    Junior
    OF
    Lauren Ghent

    #3 Lauren Ghent

    5' 4"
    Freshman
    OF
    Kerry Hickey

    #8 Kerry Hickey

    5' 7"
    Freshman
    P/OF