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Box Score 2 COLLEGE PARK, Md.- The Maryland softball team had an explosion of offense on Sunday, knocking 24 hits for 19 runs to sweep the doubleheader and win the series against Michigan State. The Terrapins took game one by way of a run rule, 10-2 in six innings, and then walked off in game two, 9-8.
“Today we battled and competed like I have never seen before,” said head coach Julie Wright. “I am so proud of our performance. Brenna Nation was brilliant on the mound and the offense just kept coming.”
Lindsey Schmeiser was the star of the day, going 5-for-8 with three runs and two RBI's. The senior broke the Maryland softball record for all-time runs scored in the second inning of game one.
“Lindsey is such a special player,” said Wright. “It is no surprise that she continues to break records. The best thing about it is that she didn't give it a second thought. She was way more focused on getting two wins.”
Nation was stellar in the circle, pitching 7.1 innings, allowing three earned runs. The redshirt junior recorded the win in both games.
GAME ONE
Senior Lindsey Schmeiser broke the Maryland softball run record as the Terrapins used timely offense and a nice outing from Brenna Nation to run-rule Michigan State, 10-2.
Five straight Terrapin batters reached base in the first inning to score four runs off three hits. Schmeiser and Hannah Dewey singled and Skylynne Ellazar walked to load the bases with one out. Then, Kristina Dillard bolted a two RBI single through the left side to give Maryland a 2-0 lead. Kylie Datil immediately followed with a RBI single of her own to make it 3-0.
Schmeiser broke the run record in the second inning as part of a three-run barrage. After Destiney Henderson and Sarah Calta walked, Schmeiser and Ellazar knocked in three runs off RBI singles. Ellazar brought in Schmeiser for the record breaker. Maryland led 6-0 through two,
Brenna Nation was flawless through five, only allowing three hits, and never more than one in an inning.
Kylie Datil launched a solo home run in the fifth to make it 7-0 Terps. Maryland then loaded the bases with one out, threatening to win the game but could not bring the winning run home.
The Spartans got two hits off two runs and a Maryland error in the sixth. Madison Martin entered the game to record the final two outs of the sixth.
Up 7-2, the Terrapins plated three runs in the sixth to record the run-rule victory. Ellazar and Jordan Aughinbaugh knocked singles, and the Spartans made three errors to cause three Terrapin runs. The game was won with a bases loaded error on a Corey Schwartz dart, scoring Datil.
GAME TWO
In a back and forth affair, Maryland used a walk-off hit by pitch to defeat Michigan State 9-8, and win the series.
Lindsey Schmeiser and Destiney Henderson both went 3-4 and each had a run and RBI.
The Spartans jumped on top early, scoring three runs off two hits and a Maryland error in the first inning.
The Terrapins came back with five of their own in the bottom half to make it ten first inning runs on the weekend. With one out, nine straight Terrapin batters reached base to score five runs. Lindsey Schmeiser singled, Emily Libero and Hannah Dewey walked, and then Kristina Dillard fouled off a number of 0-2 pitches before bolting a two RBI single into right center.
Maryland wasn't done yet. After Kylie Datil reached on an error to tie the game, Destiney Henderson slapped a go-ahead single. Then, with the bases loaded, Corey Schwartz got hit to make it 5-3 Maryland.
The duo of juniors Libero and Datil made it 6-3 Terrapins in the second. After Libero crushed a double to the top of the center field fence, Datil brought her home with a RBI single up the middle.
In the third, Maryland added another on hits by Schwartz and Schmeiser, and a Spartan throwing error. Through three innings, the score was 7-3 Maryland.
Michigan State cut the Terps lead in half in the fourth off a two-run Kassidy Kujawa long ball.
Madison Martin started the game for Maryland and had a string of seven straight retired between the first and third innings.
After the Spartans cut the lead to one in the top of the fifth, Jordan Aughinbaugh and Henderson singled, and Schmeiser shot a RBI single up the middle to give the Terps their eighth run.
Right away, the Spartans used two hits and a Maryland defensive miscue to tie the game in the sixth.
There were scoreless frames each way in the Terrapin sixth and Spartan seventh. The bottom of the seventh is where the Terps would win it; Henderson led off with a single, Schwartz bunted her over, and Sarah Calta singled before the Spartans elected to intentionally walk Schmeiser to load the bases with one out. On a 1-1 pitch, Libero got plunked on the ankle to score Henderson and give the Terrapins a 9-8 series-clinching victory.
Brenna Nation recorded her second win of the day, pitching the final two innings.
With today's doubleheader sweep, Maryland stands at 11-27 and 3-6 in conference play. Next weekend, the Terps will travel to University Park, Pa. for a weekend series with Penn State.
