May 18, 2012

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SEATTLE - The Maryland softball team fell to No. 23 Texas Tech 6-1, Saturday after leading early, then battling in a tie game through the top of the sixth in NCAA Regionals at the University of Washington. The Terps outhit the Red Raiders 6-4, but Texas Tech rallied with a four-run bottom of the sixth.

The Terrapins will play either 16th-seeded Washington (36-17) or Harvard (33-13) Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET in the double elimination Regionals tournament. The Huskies and the Crimson play Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Senior Kendra Knight started in the circle and allowed just four hits and three earned runs on the day.

The Terrapins (34-21) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. After Kathy McLaughlin led off with a base hit, Vangie Galindo got on with a fielder's choice. Shannon Bustillos pushed her to third with another base hit. Galindo stole home on a double-steal play for Maryland's lead.

The Red Raiders (40-15) tied it up in the bottom of the second. Cydney Allen drew a walk, then pinch runner Kermitria Ward tied it up on a two-out base hit from Holly Gentsch.

In the bottom of the fifth, Texas Tech took a 2-1 lead with a sacrifice fly to left centerfield by Emily Bledsoe. Sandy James made it a two-run Red Raiders lead with a double to right center to score a run from third. A Terrapins error with two outs scored two runs and one scored off a wild pitch to make it 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth.

Bustillos and McLaughlin each had two hits on the day for the Terps.

Harvard (33-13), the Ivy League champion, will take on No. 18 Washington (36-17) at 9:30 p.m. ET. All games will be at the Husky Softball Stadium.

For more on the NCAA Tournament bracket, log on to http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/softball/d1 and for more on the Seattle Regional, log on to http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/12regional.html.

This marks Maryland's third straight NCAA Regionals appearance (2010, 2011, 2012) for the first time in school history, and all are under seventh-year head coach Laura Watten. Prior to 2010, the Terrapins' only Regionals appearance was in 1999.

To end the regular season, the Terps won 14 of 16 games and took two of three from No. 19 Florida State to clinch their Regionals bid.