March 16, 2012

Box Score

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Maryland softball team split its first two games in USF's Tournament this weekend, with an 8-0 win over Canisius in five innings and a 6-4 loss to Bryant Friday.

The Terps (17-7) were led at the plate by Nikki Maier and Candice Beards, who both went 4-for-6. Maier and Bree Hanafin each added three RBI on the day.

Senior Kendra Knight started in the circle vs. Canisius and allowed just one hit and one walk in her five shutout innings and picked up 10 strikeouts.

The Terrapins scored a run in the bottom of the second vs. Canisius when Sloane Van Meter singled up the middle with the bases loaded and two outs. Lexi Carroll added another run in the bottom of the third with an RBI single to right.

Maryland's offense exploded in the bottom of the fourth for six unanswered runs. With runners on second and third, Kelly Trimble sent an RBI single to center to score a third run. Two batters later, Beards singled through the right side and scored two more runs. Maier hit her third home run of the year to bring in three more runs.

In the game vs. Bryant, the Bulldogs scored four runs in the top of the first off of three hits and two Terrapins errors. The Terrapins battled, but were unable to overcome the early deficit.

In the bottom of the first, Carroll brought in the Terps' first run with an infield hit with the bases loaded.

Bryant added its fifth and sixth runs in the top of the fourth and top of the sixth off of a few base hits.

In the bottom of the fourth, Bree Hanafin sent a two-RBI single to right to bring in Maier and Liana Newton. Maryland added one more run in the bottom of the sixth when Hanafin brought in her third RBI of the game with another base hit.

On Saturday, the Terps take on Boston University and Illinois 4 and 6:15 p.m. Maryland will play Florida A&M at 11:15 a.m. Sunday and then an exhibition game vs. the Netherlands at 1:30 p.m.

All available live stat links for the games will be posted at umterps.com.

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