TROY, Ala. – Maryland (1-1) split its opening games of the 2019 softball season Friday at the Trojan Classic in Troy, Ala., first besting Murray State 6-3 before falling short to Troy 3-4. Maryland got its first win in a season-opener since 2013, improving its record in season openers to 7-18 overall.

The Terps' hot hitters combined for 19 hits on the day, 13 against Murray State and six against Troy. They also outhit the opposition by a combined 19-11 and had a team batting average of .317.

The Terrapins will return to the diamond tomorrow with games slated against 11^th-ranked Alabama (11 a.m. ET) and Troy (4 pm ET).

Game 1 – Box Score

Maryland wasted no time getting started in 2019 as Anna Kufta doubled in her first at-bat, Gracie Voulgaris hit an RBI single in her first collegiate at-bat, and Sammie Stefan hit a two-run homer – her first collegiate home run – forcing an early pitching change for the Racers as the Terps got to a quick three-run lead.

Murray State answered in the bottom of the second, scoring one on an RBI single, but ended the inning leaving three on base. The racers applied more pressure in the bottom of the second, scoring another to make it 3-2.

However, Kufta scored again in her second at bat on a Bailey Boyd RBI single to put the Terps up 4-2, and Murray State went three up, three down in the bottom of the third, but was never completely out of it, getting three hits in the bottom of the fourth and scoring one.

The Terps got some much needed separation when Kufta hit a sac fly to bring in McRae and make the score 5-3, while the Racers again went three up, three down in a crucial inning for their comeback chances. Maryland pulled away farther in the top of the seventh when Shelby Younkin hit an RBI single, scoring Bailey Boyd, and the Racers went scoreless in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.

Sami Main got the start in the circle and pitched three innings, allowing six hits and three runs (all earned). Victoria Galvan came in for relief, making her first appearance as a Terrapin, and pitched the remaining four innings allowing only two hits.

Game 2 – Box Score

In a game that seemed slow and steady might win the race, a scoring spurt by both teams in the bottom of the fifth/top of the sixth proved to be just about the extent of the offense, eventually deciding the winner.

Troy went three up, three down in the opening three innings – though the Terps didn't have much going offensively on their end either. It took until the fifth inning of the game for either team to get a hit, when Bailey Boyd hit a single that wouldn't end in anything for Maryland.

In the bottom of the fifth, Troy showed their strengths when Allie Miller stole two bases and ultimately scored on an RBI single with just one out on the board, then Madeline Porter hit a 3-RBI double to put the Trojans up 4-0.

In the next inning, Anna Kufta hit a three-run homer to deep left center, but Maryland's comeback efforts would be halted as Bailey Boyd grounded out for the final out of the sixth and left Regan Kerr (pinch running for Sammie Stefan) on base.

Troy's offense was again stagnant in the bottom of the sixth, but got a runner on base on the Terps' only error of the day, and Maryland staged a last-chance comeback effort in the top of the seventh as McRae reached first on a walk, but ultimately came short and fell to the Trojans, 3-4.

Sydney Golden got the start and pitched a solid four innings before giving up four runs on three hits in the fifth, then Kiana Carr came in for relief for the first time as a Maryland Terrapin and pitched the remaining inning allowing no hits and walking two.