BLOOMINGTON, Ind.—The Maryland softball team exploded for a season-high 21 runs off 21 hits en route to a 21-8 drubbing of Indiana in the series rubber game. All nine batters reached base in the series finale, moving the Terps to 23-16 on the season and 5-4 in Big Ten play.
Shannon Bustillos led the team from the plate, going 4-for-6, driving in three runs and scoring twice. Throughout the series the Anaheim, Calif. native hit .615 with a 1.077 slugging percentage and .643 on-base percentage. Additionally, Bustillos accounted for four extra-base hits and drove in eight runs.
Junior Lindsey Schmeiser led the game off with a single to right center, extending her hit streak to 16 games. Hannah Dewey reached on a fielder's choice, leading to a run scored off a Bustillos double, her first RBI of the game.
Shannon Cawley gave the Hoosiers back a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the frame, shooting a two-run home run to left field.
The team's traded scoreless innings until the top of the fourth when the Terps picked up a two-out rally, plating two runs off three hits to take a 3-2 lead. Indiana tied it back up with a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth.
Maryland's offense broke the game open in the fifth, racking seven runs off five hits. Corey Schwartz doubled to lead off the inning as Erin Pronobis followed up with a hit by pitch. Bustillos smacked a double to drive in her second run of the game. A bases-loaded walk along with a Mandy Gardner single to center accounted for three more runs. Datil and Dewey contributed a pair of RBIs as L. Schmesier tallied an unearned score to end the frame with a 10-3 lead.
Indiana made things interesting with a three spot in the fifth and two spot in the sixth, but the Terrapin bats quelled any hope of a comeback in the seventh, plating 11 runs. Pronobis and L. Schmeiser doubled while Bustillos, Kaitlyn Schmeiser, Sarah Lang, Dewey and Pronobis singled to drive in runs.
K. Schmeiser (17-6) picked up the win from the circle, fanning four over 5 and 1/3 innings. Brenna Nation also saw time from the mound.
Maryland returns home next weekend for a three game series against Illinois. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
Notes: L. Schmeiser picked up a hit in all three games, extending her streak to 16. The streak dates back to March 8 matchup against Stony Brook…Bustillos picked up three doubles this series bringing her season total to five and her career total to 41, moving her into second for all-time doubles in Maryland history…Both Bustillos (6) and L. Schmeiser (7) hit a home run in the series moving both into second all-time with 24…Bustillos had eight RBIs bringing her season total to 32 and her career total to 141. That moves her into second on the all-time Maryland RBI list…L. Schmesier added two double this weekend, bringing her season total to 15, moving her into third on the single-season all-time doubles list…Pronobis drove in seven runs against Indiana bringing her team-leading total to 39. That moves her to sixth on the single-season all-time RBI list.
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