May 19, 2012

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

SEATTLE - The Maryland softball team was edged by Harvard, 3-2, in extra innings Saturday to fall in NCAA Regionals at the University of Washington. After tying it at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Terps allowed a run in the top of the eighth inning.

"Well it's a tough loss. It was a back and forth game and I feel like in the end we just didn't have the hits and they did," head coach Laura Watten said. "It's just the nature of the game. We had opportunities to take it and we didn't, and now that's just something as athletes and as competitors you learn and grow from. We'll come back next year and learn from it."

With the loss, the Terrapins end their season with a 34-22 overall record and their third straight Regionals appearance for the first time in school history.

Senior Kendra Knight held the Crimson (34-14) hitless through four innings. She allowed just three runs, two walks and struck out seven in her eight-inning complete game.

Harvard took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Whitney Shaw hit an RBI double to right center to score a run from second, then pinch hitter Emily Gusse singled to left to score the second run from third.

In the bottom of the same inning, Sloane Van Meter got on with a one-out base hit. Kathy McLaughlin and Vangie Galindo hit back-to-back doubles with two outs to tie the game at 2-2.

In the top of the eighth, Harvard's Ashley Heritage singled with one out, then stole second. The next batter, Kasey Lange, doubled to right center to bring her in for the go-ahead run.

Maryland's last three Regionals appearances (2010, 2011, 2012) all are under seventh-year head coach Laura Watten. Prior to 2010, the Terrapins' only Regionals appearance was in 1999.