COLLEGE PARK, Md.- The Maryland softball team will face its second straight ranked opponent this weekend, as the Terps travel to #24 Minnesota for a weekend swing. 

This weekends set against #24 Minnesota will mark the eleventh Big Ten team the Terps have played a series against since joining the conference last season. The only three teams Maryland has not faced are Northwestern, Purdue, and Wisconsin.

This weekend on the diamond

Maryland will make its first ever trip to Minneapolis this weekend for a weekend swing against No. 24 Minnesota. 

All three games will stream online on BTN Plus, which requires a subscription. Friday's game will begin at 7:00 p.m. (ET), Saturday's at 2:00 p.m. (ET), and Sunday's at 1:00 p.m. (ET). 

All of this weekends games will take place at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium, on the campus of the University of Minnesota, which is located at 516 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. 

Links for live stats are listed below. Be sure to follow @TerpsSoftball on Twitter all weekend for live in-game updates and behind the scenes content from the Terps trip up north.

Fri. April 29     at #24 Minnesota   7:00 p.m. ET       BTN Plus ($)            Live Stats

Sat. April 30    at #24 Minnesota   2:00 p.m. ET       BTN Plus ($)            Live Stats 

Sun. May 1      at #24 Minnesota    1:00 p.m. ET        BTN Plus ($)           Live Stats

Last time out

• Maryland is coming off an 0-5 week against Rutgers and #2 Michigan. The Terps fell in a doubleheader to Rutgers, 4-0 and 6-3; before getting swept in a three-game set in Ann Arbor.
• First basemen Sarah Lang and Jordan Aughinbaugh each batted .333 (2-for-6) on the week, splitting time at first base and the designated player role. The two led the Terps in both batting average and on base percentage. Aughinbaugh drew two walks to Langs one for a combined on base percentage of .467.
• Over the past eight games, Kristina Dillard has led the Terps from the plate, batting .429 with two doubles and five RBIs. The junior captain was 8-for-10 in the Penn State series, good for the best weekend batting average of any Maryland player this season.

quick hits

• On the season, the Terps are hitting .279 with a .358 on base percentage and a .383 slugging percentage. Maryland has cracked 328 hits, scored 166 runs, knocked 53 doubles, and totaled 450 bases.
• Skylynne Ellazar has been a force from the plate all season. Through 46 games, the Hawaii native is batting a team leading .381 by way of 53 hits and 28 runs. Ellazar ranks fifth in the Big Ten in hits and ninth in batting average.
• Kristina Dillard and Sarah Calta have also produced in the lineup. The captain duo rank second on the team in batting average, both hitting .331. Dillard shares the doubles lead (9) with Ellazar, while Calta leads the team and ranks third in the Big ten in triples (4).

ScOUTING Minnesota

• Minnesota enters this weekend at 32-12 overall and 13-3 in the Big Ten. The Gophers are currently ranked #24 nationally and stand one game behind Michigan atop the conference standings.
• The Gophers are an incredibly balanced team, ranking top three in the Big Ten in most offensive and pitching categories. Minnesota is third in batting average, second in slugging and on base percentage and runs-scored. They are also second in doubles and third in home runs. From the circle, Minnesota ranks second in ERA and opposing batting average, and first in strikeouts.
• Sam Macken leads the Gophers from the dish, batting .383 with 20 doubles and ten home runs. Minnesota has five batters batting over .320 at the plate.
• The pitching staff is led by reigning Big Ten player of the year, Sara Groenewegen, who holds a 1.96 ERA. The junior has racked up numerous Big Ten Player and Pitcher of the Week Awards during her time in Minneapolis.
• Head Coach Jessica Allister is in her sixth season at the helm of the Minnesota softball program, posting a 223-100 record in Minneapolis. The Stanford alumnae has led the Gophers to three straight NCAA Regionals, and a Super Regional in 2014.

Sky's the Limit

• Skylynne Ellazar has been nothing short of sensational from the plate this season.
• The Hawaii native leads the Terps in batting average, hits, runs, and doubles, slugging percentage, and on base percentage. Ellazar ranks top fifteen in the Big Ten in four categories.
• Right now, Ellazar also holds the best career batting average in Maryland softball history at .364.
• Over the past 27 games, Ellazar holds a .403 batting average.

Legendary Lindsey

• In her senior season, Lindsey Schmeiser has put together quite the Terrapin career.
• Schmeiser has earned numerous accolades during her Terrapin career, including 2013 ACC Freshman of the Year, First-Team All ACC, First-Team Big Ten, and Big Ten Player of the Week (3/16/15).
• The week of February 20th might've been Schmeiser's most successful yet. On Sunday Feb 21, Lindsey broke the school home run record. On Monday Feb 22 she was named a 2016 Senior CLASS Award candidate. To cap it off, on Tuesday Feb 23 she was named the Solomon Eye Terp of the Week.
• The Dunkirk, Md. native is climbing atop the all-time ranks in numerous categories. Schmeiser is fourth in Maryland softball batting average ranks (.329), has the most home runs (32), and runs (136) in Maryland softball history and is eight doubles (38) away from breaking the school doubles record, held by Lindsey Klein and Shannon Bustillos.
• Last season, Schmeiser broke the single-season double record (21) and had a 23 game hitting streak. In her freshman year, Schmeiser had the most RBIs (59) in a single season ever.

Dillard Dagger

• Junior Captain, Kristina Dillard has made quite an impact in her first season wearing Maryland colors.
• A transfer from the University of Louisville, the Hanover, Md. native returned home and instantly made her presence known, as she was voted as a team captain.
• Dillard has done damage on the field, the junior ranks second on the team with a .331 batting average. She also ranks second in RBI's (27) and total bases (63). The transfer shares the doubles lead (9) with Ellazar after smashing two this previous weekend.
• Behind the dish, the vocal leader has thirteen “Dillard Darts” this season (runners caught stealing), which leads the Big Ten.

looking ahead

• Maryland will wrap up regular season play next weekend with the home finale against Indiana. The Terps and Hoosiers will play a three game series in College Park, culminating with senior day on Sunday May 8.  

event multimedia

• Live stats for all games can be found here. Also follow @TerpsSoftball all weekend for live updates and behind-the-scenes content of the Terps trip up north.