Box Score COLLEGE PARK, MD – Maryland trailed by four runs entering the bottom of the fourth inning but rattled off seven runs to stun Minnesota, 12-6, in game three of its opening conference series at Maryland Softball Stadium on Sunday. The Terps won their first conference series under head coach
Lauren Karn.
Maryland's (15-15, 2-1 B1G) big fourth inning featured three hits that drove in six combined runs. The Terps hadn't had a single hit in the ballgame up to that point. Michaela Jones and Jaeda McFarland each hit a two-RBI single and Diamond Williams brought home two runners with her triple. Delaney Reefe also drove in a run during the inning with her sacrifice fly. The inning allowed the Terps to take a 7-4 lead. They added five more runs in the sixth for insurance.
Jones hit a double with bases loaded in the sixth that cleared the bases. She went 2-for-4 with a season-high five RBIs. Williams went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and recorded her 40th career multi-hit game. McFarland also finished with multiple hits, going 2-for-4.
A major factor in the Terps' comeback win was Courtney Wyche. She made her second start of the series in the circle and threw a career-high 167 pitches. She pitched her ninth complete game of the season and struck out a season-high 12 batters. She picked up her eighth win of the season.
Megan Mikami swiped one base in the game to add to her program record of 71 career stolen bases. McFarland also stole a base to bring her career total to 63, which is third in program history.
Minnesota (15-15, 1-2 B1G) raced to its early lead with two home runs in the first. The Gophers added just two runs the rest of the game.
Breaking Down The Action
- Minnesota started fast, hitting back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning to take an early 3-0 lead.
- Courtney Wyche escaped a second inning jam for the Terps by striking out the final batter and stranding two Minnesota runners in scoring position.
- The Gophers extended their lead to 4-0, sending an RBI double down the third base line in the top of the third inning.
- Michaela Jones came up big hitting a two-run RBI single to right field cutting into Minnesota's lead 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Delaney Reefe's sacrifice fly to center field advanced a Terps runner home to trail only by a run. Jaeda McFarland put Maryland ahead 5-4, singling up the middle and advancing two runners home. Diamond Williams followed up with her first triple of the season increasing the lead to 7-4.
- Minnesota responded in the top of the fifth inning, singling through the right side to bring two runs home trailing 7-6.
- Williams and Sydney Lewis each belted in RBI singles each to extend Maryland's lead 9-6. Jones continued the Terps' dominant inning, doubling to left center field, clearing the bases for a 12-6 lead.
Terps In The Record Books
- Megan Mikami broke the school's stolen bases record against Virginia on March 12. She added to her career total by stealing one base and giving her 71 in her four seasons.
- Jaeda McFarland stole one base today and is third in school history with 63 career stolen bases after passing Jenny Belak (2005-08). She's four stolen bases away from passing Vangie Galindo (2009-12) and claiming the number two spot.
- Wyche struck out 12 batters in the game to increase her career total to 523 which is fifth all-time. Next on the list is Amanda Bettker (1999-2002) with 546 in her career.
- Wyche is also sixth on the all-time innings pitched list with 532.2 in her career. Next on the list is Kaitlyn Schmeiser (2012-15) who pitched 578.2 innings.
- Wyche received the 49th win of her career, which broke a tie for fifth all-time. She passed Kaitlyn Schmeiser (2012-15) and Monica Cyphert (2001-04) to stand alone. Next on the list is Kendra Knight (2009-12) with 51 wins.
- Wyche pitched the 42nd complete game of her career, which is fifth all-time. She broke a tie with Jessica Aditays (2002-05). Next on the list is Tisha Killian (1996-98) with 48 complete games.
Numbers To Know
- 1: The Terps won their first conference series of the season.
- 3: Three Terps finished with multi-RBI games.
- 4: Diamond Williams hit her fourth career triple.
- 5: Michaela Jones drove home a season-high five RBIs.
- 12: Wyche struck out a season-high 12 batters.
- 27: Jones had her 27th multi-hit game.
- 40: Williams notched her 40th career multi-hit game.
- 71: Megan Mikami has 71 stolen bases in her career, which is a career program record. She also has eight stolen bases on the year.
- 167: Wyche threw a career-high 167 pitches
Up Next
- Maryland is back in action at Penn State on March 29 for a three-game series. Game one starts at 5 pm and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
