Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BOCA RATON, Fla.- A wild Saturday night into Sunday morning affair resulted in a hard fought 8-7 Maryland (5-9) win in eleven innings over Florida Atlantic as the Terps split day two of the FAU Invitational. Before an incredible nightcap, Maryland faltered for the second day in a row to Columbia 4-2.
“FAU is a very, very good softball team,” said head coach Julie Wright. “I couldn't be more impressed with this team and their fight tonight. Everyone contributed to this win. I am so proud of their effort.”
Emily Libero, Kristina Dillard, Corey Schwartz, and Skylynne Ellazar all came through with RBI's in the ninth through eleventh innings to provide the extra inning offense against FAU. Maryland and Florida Atlantic traded jabs for four consecutive extra frames before the Terrapins outscored the Owls 2-1 in the 11th.
On the day, Kristina Dillard starred, going 4-6 with a two run dinger and five RBI's. Dillard was 3-3 with two sacrifice's against Florida Atlantic.
Madison Martin had another strong day in the circle, throwing 7.1 innings with just one earned run allowed. The Edmond, Okla. native has a sub-one ERA in Florida.
GAME TWO
A back and forth, eleven inning, three hour and forty two minute marathon resulted in Terrapin 8-7 win over host and previously undefeated Florida Atlantic.
Kristina Dillard smashed her first home run of the season with a two run dinger in the first inning to give Maryland a 2-0 lead.
Madison Martin got the start in the circle and went four innings allowing one earned run. That run came in the second inning after the Owls cut the deficit in half with a safety-squeeze.
In the fourth inning, two Terrapin errors and two walks plated two Owl runs to give the 12-0 team a 3-2 lead.
As they would all night, Maryland immediately responded in the fifth inning with clutch RBI singles by Hannah Dewey and Kristina Dillard to retake the lead, 4-3.
The Terrapins would hold this lead on the back of Hannah Dewey in relief of Martin until Florida Atlantic tied the game up with a solo shot to lead off the home half of the seventh.
Then came the marathon, extra innings meant the international tiebreaker where each team would start with a runner on second. Maryland couldn't score their runner in the 8th but made a fantastic 6-3-2 double play in the bottom half to keep the winning Owl from the plate.
Both teams scored one in each of the ninth and the tenth innings. The Terps would take the lead in the ninth with an Emily Libero RBI double. Florida Atlantic tied it up in the bottom half. In the tenth, it was Kristina Dillard with the sacrifice fly. Both teams played small ball each offensive extra inning, sacrificing the runner to third base to create the chance. The Owls also tied the Terps in the tenth.
The eleventh inning was the one that won it for Maryland. Corey Schwartz cracked a RBI double to re give the Terrapins the lead. Maybe the biggest hit however, came from Skylynne Ellazar who extended the lead to two, which would end up being the game-winning run. FAU scored one run for the third consecutive inning but couldn't push the tying run through and Maryland held on for a wild 8-7 win.
Brenna Nation pitched a strong three innings in the circle to pick up her first win of the season.
This 11 inning game marks the longest game for Maryland softball since April 19, 2009 when the Terrapins fell to Boston College in College Park.
GAME ONE
For the second day in a row against Columbia, Kylie Datil and Madison Martin both shined in defeat, the Terps fell in the rematch 4-2.
Like they did the day before, the Lions scored one in the second and three in the third to take a 4-0 lead.
Maryland would attempt a rally in the sixth as the California kids: Hannah Dewey and Kylie Datil smacked extra base hits to put a run on the board and then Kristina Dillard followed with a RBI of her own to cut the deficit in half, 4-2.
Maryland outhit Columbia 8-7 but couldn't string them together for a rally in the seventh.
Madison Martin threw 3.1 scoreless frames, and struck out three Lion hitters.
-Maryland-
