
Maryland Opens Terrapin Invitational With 6-3 Win Over Syracuse
2/27/2026 3:00:00 PM | Softball
Syracuse struck first with a three-run second inning. The Orange tallied five hits across the first two frames, bringing Bucher into the circle in relief for Maryland. The Terps got on the board in the bottom of the second as Matti Benson picked up her fourth RBI of the season with an infield single.
After 2 innings📸 pic.twitter.com/MuwntCg6XA
— Maryland Softball (@TerpsSoftball) February 27, 2026
Bucher threw 5.1 scoreless innings in relief on Friday evening, keeping the Orange off the board and collecting a pair of strikeouts. She kept her Terps right in the contest with her efforts in the circle as she waited for Maryland's bats to get going.
McGowan smacked her team-leading third homer out to left-center in the fourth inning to cut into the Syracuse lead. Her team-high 11th RBI of the season made it a one-run ballgame as Bucher continued to keep the Orange bats at bay.
⬇️4️⃣ ANNA MCGOWAN'S 3RD HR OF THE YEAR!
— Maryland Softball (@TerpsSoftball) February 27, 2026
UMD 2 | SU 3#FearTheTurtle pic.twitter.com/q5B7837IKw
Maryland tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth inning as Caitlyn Cornwell reached on an infield single. Sammi Woods singled before Zayda Rocke put Maryland up 4-3 with a sacrifice-fly. The Terps pushed three total runs across in the fifth inning to take a 5-3 lead. McGowan added an insurance run in the sixth.
Mariah Penta recorded a pair of hits in Friday's tournament opener while Lauren Caye earned Maryland's first triple of the season. The Terps tallied eight hits on the night and are back in action on Saturday as the Terrapin Invitational rolls on.
⬇️5️⃣ Lauren gives us the first triple of the season!
— Maryland Softball (@TerpsSoftball) February 27, 2026
UMD 2 | SU 3#FearTheTurtle🐢 pic.twitter.com/uFpMvXQHpF
How it Happened:
- T1: Elisea Wiegand stranded two in scoring position in a scoreless first.
- T2: Rose Cano homered to center to open a 1-0 Syracuse lead.
- T2: The Orange added two more from a two-RBI double from Harmony Jackson.
- B2: Penta singled up the middle to become the Terps' first baserunner of the day.
- B2: Benson plated Penta with an RBI single to get Maryland on the board.
- T4: Bucher worked a 1-2-3 scoreless frame.
- B4: McGowan's third homer of the year brought Maryland a run closer.
- B4: Penta recorded her second hit of the night.
- T5: Bucher stranded the bases loaded in the fifth.
- B5: Caye recorded the Terps' first triple of the season.
- B5: Caye scored as Caitlyn Cornwell reached on an infield single.
- B5: Rocke gave the Terps the lead with a sacrifice-fly.
- B5: An error brought another Maryland run home.
- B6: McGowan plated another with an RBI groundout.
- T7: Bucher closed out the 6-3 win.
- Bucher (RP): 5.1 IP, W (4-1), 0 R, 3 H, 2 K, 79 pitches.
- McGowan (DH): 1-3, HR (3), 2 RBI, R.
- Penta (1B): 2-3, BB.
- Woods (SS): 2-4, R.
- 3: McGowan's three homers this season lead the Terps.
- 4: Bucher won her fourth game of the year.
- 4: Maryland grabbed its fourth-ever win over Syracuse.
- 5.1: Bucher threw 5.1 brilliant scoreless innings.
- 7: The Terps grabbed their seventh win of 2026.
- 8: Maryland recorded eight hits.
- 12: McGowan has a team-high 12 RBIs this season.
- 21: Woods' 21 hits this season lead the team
- Maryland plays two more games in the Terrapin Invitational on Feb. 28. The first will come against Providence at 3 PM on B1G+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bucher, Keira (4-1)
L: J. Pengel (2-3)
Batting:
2B: J. Burney 1 ; H. Jackson 1 ; Mad. Knight 1
HR: R. Cano 1
RBI: H. Jackson 2 ; R. Cano 1
Base Running:
RUNS: J. Burney 1 ; R. Cano 1 ; G. Lantier 1
HBP: H. Jackson 1 ; G. Weaver 1 ; K. Eubanks 1

Batting:
3B: Caye, Lauren 1
HR: McGowan, Anna 1
RBI: Cornwell, Caitlyn 1 ; Rocke, Zayda 1 ; McGowan, Anna 2 ; Murphy, Bailey 1 ; Benson, Matti 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cornwell, Caitlyn 1 ; Woods, Sammi 1 ; McGowan, Anna 1 ; Murphy, Bailey 1 ; Caye, Lauren 2
SB: Solarz, Gracelyn 1















