Box Score COLLEGE PARK, MD – Maryland fell to Minnesota, 15-6, at Maryland Softball Stadium in game two of Friday's doubleheader. After walking off the Gophers in the early game, the teams are tied at 1-1 going into Sunday's series-deciding contest where the Terps look to capture their first Big Ten series win of 2024.
Sydney Lewis hit her fourth home run of the season with a two-run blast in the first inning. Lewis finished 3-for-3 with three RBIs and one run scored, including two doubles. It was the sophomore's sixth multi-hit game of her career, with the fifth coming in game one of the doubleheader.
Six different players contributed to Maryland's (14-15, 1-1 B1G) 10-hit effort in the game. But the Terps couldn't overcome the Gophers' bats. Minnesota (15-14, 1-1 B1G) hit three multi-run home runs in the game.
Jaeda McFarland also hit a home run, her second of the season. The graduate student totaled three runs scored and two RBIs along with a walk and a stolen base.
Keira Bucher took over in the circle after Bri Godfrey started part of the first inning. Bucher pitched 1.2 innings and Julia Shearer covered the next four innings. Genevieve Ebaugh pitched before Godfrey came back in to close the game.
Breaking Down The Action
- Minnesota hit a three-run home run and a two-run homer to take an early 5-0 lead in the first inning.
- The Terps answered in the bottom of the frame with a two-run bomb by Sydney Lewis. Mazie MacFarlane singled and stole second, but Michaela Jones flew out to the centerfield wall to end the first inning.
- The Gophers added two runs in the second on an RBI single and an error.
- Megan Mikami led off the bottom of the third with a triple and was driven in by a Jaeda McFarland sacrifice fly. Diamond Williams singled and Lewis followed with a double to put two Terps in scoring position. MacFarlane was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Michaela Jones hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Caitlyn Cornwell, cutting Minnesota's advantage to 7-4.
- The Gophers added two more runs on an RBI single in the top of the fifth to bring the score to 9-4.
- Lewis continued her offensive hot streak with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth to drive in McFarland.
- Minnesota hit another two-run home run in the top of the seventh and tacked on two RBI singles, an RBI walk, and a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 15-5.
- Jaeda McFarland led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homer for the final score of the game, 16-5.
Terps In The Record Books
- Jaeda McFarland stole one base today and is third in school history with 62 career stolen bases after passing Jenny Belak (2005-08). She's five stolen bases away from passing Vangie Galindo (2009-12) and claiming the number two spot.
Numbers To Know
- 2: Jaeda McFarland belted her second homer of the season.
- 3: Megan Mikami hit her third triple of the season and the seventh of her career.
- 4: Sydney Lewis hit her fourth home run of the season and sixth homer of her career.
- 5: Lewis totaled five RBIs across both games of Friday's doubleheader.
- 6: Lewis had her sixth multi-hit game of her career, doing so in back-to-back games.
- 6: Lewis hit two doubles in the game, moving her to six doubles on the season.
Up Next
- Maryland is back in action against Minnesota on March 24 for game three of the weekend series. First pitch is at 11 a.m. and the game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
