University of Maryland Athletics

Maryland Celebrates a Defensive Play Against Syracuse
3
Syracuse SYRACUSE 8-6
6
Winner Maryland MARYLAND 7-9
Syracuse SYRACUSE
8-6
3
Final
6
Maryland MARYLAND
7-9
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Syracuse SYRACUSE 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 8 2
Maryland MARYLAND 0 1 0 1 3 1 X 6 8 0

W: Bucher, Keira (4-1) L: J. Pengel (2-3)

Game Recap: Softball |

Maryland Opens Terrapin Invitational With 6-3 Win Over Syracuse

COLLEGE PARK, MD — Maryland opened its run in the Terrapin Invitational with a 6-3 win over Syracuse on Friday night. Anna McGowan hit her third homer of the season as Keira Bucher limited the Orange in the circle. Maryland scored three runs in the fifth inning to pull ahead of Syracuse and move to 7-9 in 2026.

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.
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. 
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.
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.
Impact Performances:
  • 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.
Numbers to Know:
  • 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
Up Next:
  • Maryland plays two more games in the Terrapin Invitational on Feb. 28. The first will come against Providence at 3 PM on B1G+.
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