Virginia Softball Falls To Maryland In Extra Innings
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March 25, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Maryland scored 10 runs in the first extra frame to defeat the Virginia softball team 11-1 in eight innings Sunday (March 25) at The Park. With the win, the Terrapins swept the three-game series from UVa. The Cavaliers are now 10-22 overall and 0-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while Maryland improves to 17-10 overall and 3-0 in the ACC.
Maryland took a 1-0 lead in the second when Lindsay Klein led off with a home run to left field.
After stranding eight runners on base in the first three innings, including the bases loaded in the first and second, the Cavaliers tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth. First-year third baseman Abby Snyder (Cantonment, Fla.) reached when her pop up to second base was lost in the sun and fell for a base hit. She moved to second on a wild pitch and then advanced to third on a ground out. With two outs, Snyder scored on another wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1.
The game went into extra innings deadlocked at 1-1. The Terps exploded for 10 runs on six hits in the first extra frame. Virginia helped Maryland’s cause with five walks in the inning, including two intentional free passes. Alex Schultz began the eighth with a double to center field and eventually scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch on the fourth ball of an intentional walk to Amber Jackson. Jackson went on to hit a grand slam later in the inning.
Fourth-year pitcher Coty Tolar (Marietta, Ga.) pitched five scoreless innings before allowing the first six runs in the eighth and suffered the loss in the circle. Tolar (4-7) went a total of 6.1 innings and allowed the six runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts. First-year pitcher Nicole Koren (Warminster, Pa.) started for UVa in the circle and gave up one run on one hit in one inning. Second-year Karla Wilburn (Del Mar, Calif.) relieved Tolar in the eighth and walked the only batter she faced and allowed one run. Third-year Whitney Holstun (Escondido, Calif.) recorded the final two outs of the inning while giving up three runs on two hits with two walks and a strikeout.
Maryland’s Meredith Nelles (10-3) earned the win in relief by throwing three scoreless innings. She allowed one hit and struck out two while walking two. Stacey Jennings started for Maryland and pitched the first 2.2 innings. She gave up three hits while walking four and striking out three. Abbey Welch went 2.1 innings and gave up one run on one hit with two walks and a strikeout.
Snyder was the lone Cavalier with two hits as she went 2-3 at the plate with a double and scored UVa’s only run in the contest. First-year first baseman Kelly Haller (Leesburg, Va.) reached base three times via walks. UVa stranded 12 runners on base in the game and were out-hit 9-5.
The Cavaliers return to action on Wednesday (March 28) when they travel to Harrisonburg, Va., for a 2 p.m. doubleheader against James Madison.