Feb. 24, 2012

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Box Score vs. SIU | Box Score vs. Marshall

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Maryland softball team used its offense to power past Southern Illinois 12-8 and Marshall 10-2 Friday in its first two games in the ESPN Citrus Classic at Disney's Wide World of Sports.

The Terps (8-1) used a nine-run fifth inning explosion to top the Salukis (4-3) and two four-run innings to beat the Herd (6-4).

Against the Salukis, the Terrapins trailed 7-2 in the fifth inning. They used a nine-run bottom of the fifth to take an 11-7 lead. They forced two Saluki pitching changes off their dominating fifth inning.

Shannon Bustillos reached on an error with runners on to score the first run of the inning. A few batters later, Sloane Van Meter walked with the bases loaded and no outs. Lexi Carroll followed that with a single to score another run. Next, Melissa Mancuso was hit by a pitch, which brought in another score. Kathy McLaughlin was then walked to score a fourth straight run and fifth of the inning.

After the first Saluki pitching change, Vangie Galindo singled to give Maryland the 8-7 lead and Nikki Maier followed with a walk for another Terps run. Candice Beards hit a two-RBI base hit to score the eighth and ninth Maryland runs of the inning.

In game two, Marshall notched a run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. In the top of the third, Bustillos led off with a walked to lead off the inning. After Carroll and Amanda McCann singled, Sara Acosta and Galindo drew back to back walks with the bases loaded to bring in the tying and go-ahead runs. Marshall changed pitchers, then Nikki Maier sent a sac fly to right to bring in another. Beards drew another walk for a 4-1 Terps lead to end the inning.

The Terrapins added four more runs in the top of the fifth. Acosta singled to lead off and took second on a Marshall error. Next, Galindo singled and McLaughlin hit her first of two doubles to score both of them. Maier followed that up with a two-run home run to pur the Terps up 8-1.

McLaughlin brought in the Terps' ninth run with another double to score McCann. McLaughlin scored when Maier reached on an error.

Senior Kendra Knight carried the Terps in the circle, as she pitched 13.0 innings and started both games. She allowed 10 hits, four earned runs and notched 15 strikeouts.

On Saturday, the Terps will face off against Wisconsin at 2:30 p.m. That game will be shown live online at ESPN3.com. After their game vs. the Badgers, they will play St. John's at 4:45 p.m. Maryland will close the weekend with a 10 a.m. game vs. Marshall Sunday.

For full results and live stats links, log on to umterps.com.