Softball Heads to Georgia for the Hail Southern Classic

Friday, March 7

Statesboro, GA

12:30 PM

Maryland

Rider

Softball Heads to Georgia for the Hail Southern Classic

3/5/2025 1:00:00 PM | Softball

Watch vs. GA Southern (Game 1)Watch vs. GA Southern (Game 2) Live Stats (vs. GA Southern 3/7)Live Stats (vs. Rider 3/7)Live Stats (vs. GA Southern 3/8)Live Stats (vs. Rider 3/8) Game Notes

Maryland (7-10) vs. Georgia Southern (11-8)

March 7-8, 2025

Eagle Field at GS Softball Complex

3:00 p.m. & 11:30 am

ESPN+

Maryland (7-10) vs. Rider (3-9)

March 7-8, 2025

Eagle Field at GS Softball Complex

12:30 PM & 9:00 AM

COLLEGE PARK, MD -The University of Maryland softball team is set to hit the road for one final tournament before beginning Big Ten competition. The Terps will travel to Georgia Southern to compete in the Hail Southern Classic, where they will face off against Georgia Southern and Rider.

matchup preview

Maryland enters the tournament with a 7-10 record, highlighted by a statement win at the Kajikawa Classic, where the Terps upset No. 21 California, 6-3, at Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium. The victory marked Maryland's first of the season and the program's 39th all-time win over a ranked opponent. It was also head coach Lauren Karn's third ranked win at Maryland, following shutout victories over No. 25 Oregon and No. 22 Penn State last season.
Georgia Southern comes into the matchup with an 11-8 record. Their season has been highlighted by a 2-0 victory over No. 22 Michigan on February 9, marking their first ranked win since 2022 and their first ranked shutout win since 2016. The Eagles are coming off a 3-2 weekend at the Charge On Classic, hosted by UCF, where they picked up wins against George Mason, Providence, and UCF while falling to North Florida and George Mason in their second meeting.
Offensively, the Eagles are led by Payton Cushman, who boasts a team-best .371 batting average and 23 hits. She has also recorded six RBIs and one home run this season. Valarie Combs leads the team in RBIs (10) and doubles (8). On the mound, reigning Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week Maddie Johnson has been dominant. Johnson, now 7-2, went 3-0 last weekend, highlighted by Georgia Southern's first no-hitter since 2017. She struck out 11 against George Mason, stifled Providence after an early two-run inning, and held UCF to just one run over 6.2 innings. She leads the Eagles' pitching staff in all major statistical categories.
Maryland and Georgia Southern have met eight times in program history, with the Terps holding a 5-3 series lead. Their most recent matchup came in 2020, when Maryland secured a 4-2 victory in Statesboro.
Rider enters the tournament with a 3-9 overall record. The Broncs recently played a midweek doubleheader against Central Connecticut State, winning the first game 2-1 before narrowly falling 4-3 in the second.
Offensively, Rider is led by Fallyn Stoeckel, who holds a team-high .314 batting average with 11 hits and four RBIs. Catcher Kendall Reda-Fehsal leads all starters with six RBIs and one home run. In the circle, Anna-Marie Groskritz has been the Broncs' most reliable pitcher, posting a team-best 2.36 ERA with a team-high 35 strikeouts.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Rider and Maryland.

Maryland Softball vs. St. Joseph at Maryland Softball Complex in College Park, MD on Tuesday, Mar. 4, 2025. Ashley Ray/Maryland Terrapins

Softball dominated Saint Joseph's with an 8-0 victory in their home opener on Tuesday night.

b1g returners start hot

2024 All-Big Ten Second Team selections Mazie MacFarlane and Sydney Lewis have carried their momentum into the new season.
MacFarlane ranks second on the team with a .375 batting average while leading the Terps in hits (21) and doubles (7). She delivered a standout performance against UMass, going 4-for-4 with a career-high four hits, including a double and two runs scored.
Lewis has already launched four home runs this season, tying her personal best from last year. In Maryland's home opener against Saint Joseph's, she blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning, extending the Terps' lead to 7-0. It was the 10th home run of her collegiate career.

Lewis home run against Saint Joseph's.

Shearer on a Roll

Pitcher Julia Shearer has been dominant in her last two starts, throwing back-to-back complete-game shutouts. The sophomore now has five career complete games and two shutouts, earning the sixth win of her career.
Against Belmont last weekend, Shearer tossed her first career shutout, allowing just four hits while striking out four.
She followed that performance with a career-high seven strikeouts against Saint Joseph's, surrendering just three hits in another shutout effort.