April 18, 2012

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland softball team cruised past Howard to win 9-0 in game one and 10-0 in game two in a midweek doubleheader Wednesday. Kendra Knight notched her second career no-hitter in the first game and the Terrapins outhit the Lady Bison 17-1 on the day.

Knight, the ACC Pitcher of the Week, pitched all 5.0 innings of the first game and 3.0 in the second. She didn't allow a hit until the third inning of the second game. She notched 19 strikeouts on the day and three walks.

In game one, the Terrapins (25-17, 3-6 ACC) got four runs in the bottom of the first off of one hit, one Howard error, two passed balls and four stolen bases. They added two more in the bottom of the second when the ACC Player of the Week Shannon Bustillos sent a two-run shot over the centerfield wall to make it 6-0.

In the bottom of the third, Nikki Maier slammed a towering home run to left center field to make it 8-0 Terps. One inning later, leadoff hitter Kathy McLaughlin reached and got all the way around the bases to score on a Lady Bison error. The hard hit ball went through the second baseman's legs and made its way all the way to the wall.

In the second game, Candice Beards opened it up with a two-RBI single up the middle with one out in the bottom of the first.

Maryland added four more runs in the bottom of the second. Vangie Galindo singled up the middle with no outs and the bases loaded, then Bustillos hit a high sacrifice fly to make it 4-0 Terps. Beards followed that up with a double to left to score one more. Bree Hanafin drew a walk with the bases loaded to bring the score to 7-0.

The Terps got their final three runs in the bottom of the third. With one out, pinch hitter Liana Newton tripled down the right field line. Bustillos brought her in with a fielder's choice two batters later. With two runners on, Nikki Maier doubled to score the Terrapins' last two runs of the day.

Freshman Kaitlin Schmeiser pitched the final two innings of the second game and notched two strikeouts and no hits.

The Terrapins have won five in a row and the first win was head coach Laura Watten's 550th career win.

The Terrapins will hit the road this weekend to play three games at NC State (21-25, 3-11) in Raleigh. They will play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday and a single game Sunday at noon. Both teams will be honoring breast cancer awareness this weekend. Live stats will be available and the game will be shown live online for a fee at GoPack.com.