May 6, 2012

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland softball team used two late-game rallies and record-breaking performances from seniors Vangie Galindo and Kendra Knight Sunday to beat No. 19 Florida State in 10 innings and take the series. The Terps (34-19, 10-8 ACC) outhit the Noles 10-4.

In the bottom of the 10th, Galindo singled to break the Maryland career hits record set by Jenny Belak in 2008. Galindo has 220 hits in her career. Then, Shannon Bustillos drew a walk and Candice Beards reached on a Florida State error. With the bases loaded and one out, junior Sara Acosta hit a fly ball into center that was dropped by FSU's Courtney Senas to score Galindo for the winning run.

Knight allowed just four hits in 10 innings and held the Seminoles (45-13, 16-5) scoreless through 5.2 innings. She notched eight strikeouts for the day. In the top of the 10th, Knight struck out leadoff batter Loren Smith for her 291st strikeout this season. That broke Kelly Shipman's record of 290 strikeouts in the 1999 season.

To open the scoring, Florida State got on the board in the top of the third. With runners on second and third, Shayla Jackson scored one with a sacrifice fly to left.

The Seminoles added their second and third runs in the top of the sixth. Briana Hamilton reached on a dropped third strike, then advanced on a wild pitch. She scored off of a Terrapins' error. FSU's Celeste Gomez then sent a base hit to left center to make it a 3-0 Florida State lead.

Beards got the Terrapins on the board in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI double to left to score Galindo.

In the bottom of the seventh, Melissa Mancuso was hit by a pitch with two outs to put a runner on for the Terps. The next batter, Kathy McLaughlin trickled a base hit down the left field line for runners on first and second for Galindo. Then, Galindo sent her tying double to the left center field wall.

Prior to Sunday's game, the Terrapins honored this year's five seniors - Vangie Galindo, Bree Hanafin, Kendra Knight, Kathy McLaughlin and Sloane Van Meter.

This senior class has helped lead the Terrapins to an overall record of 137-88 (.609), the most ACC wins of any class (39) and back-to-back NCAA Regionals appearances for the first time in school history.

Next, the Terrapins will head to Chapel Hill, N.C. for the ACC Tournament Thursday-Saturday. The fifth-seeded Terps will play fourth-seeded Virginia Tech (38-18, 12-5 ACC) Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The game will be shown live online for free at ESPN3.com. For more information on the ACC Softball Tournament, log on to http://www.theacc.com/championships/12-softball-championship.html.