Six innings into Game 1 of a doubleheader against Rutgers on Wednesday afternoon, Maryland softball coach Julie Wright didn’t react when outfielder Destiney Henderson struck out looking to end the inning. Wright simply turned from her spot in the third base coaching box and walked back to her dugout.
In the sixth inning of Game 2, Wright didn’t show any emotion when designated player Hannah Dewey was thrown out at third trying to advance on a groundout. She stared ahead as Dewey got up, ran past her and went to the dugout.
In both scenarios, the Terps needed the production, trailing by three and one runs, respectively, but they couldn’t muster comebacks against the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers swept the doubleheader Wednesday, with a 4-0 win in Game 1 and a 6-3 victory in Game 2.
“We didn’t come out aggressive,” infielder Corey Schwartz said. “And that showed out on the field.”
The Terps did get a strong performance, though, out of Game 1 starting pitcher Brenna Nation. The redshirt junior limited the Scarlet Knights to one earned run in her seven-inning outing.
“She didn’t work ahead the way she wanted to,” Wright said. “But when she got herself in trouble, she got herself out pretty well.”
But the defense let her down when a throwing error by infielder Skylynne Ellazar led to two unearned runs in the third inning.
“She didn’t throw it to the bag; she threw it to the right of the bag because she saw me running [there],” Schwartz said. “But right when she released it, I was at the bag, so I guess it was just a little miscommunication.”
An obstruction call on a stolen base attempt in the sixth gave Rutgers its third unearned run of the contest.
Maryland’s offense, meanwhile, struggled to make consistent contact against Rutgers pitcher Dresden Maddox. Entering the sixth inning of the first contest, the Terps had just one hit and had yet to put a runner on second base. They threatened in the last two innings, but couldn’t complete the rallies after breakdowns like Henderson’s strikeout.
“Our timing was off,” infielder Lindsey Schmeiser said. “We were ahead on everything.”
Maryland managed to get on the board in the second game, but a three-run fourth inning helped the Scarlet Knights secure the sweep.
After a solo home run gave Rutgers an early 1-0 lead, the Terps tied the game in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly from catcher Kristina Dillard. The inning started with a walk from Schwartz, who fouled off several pitches with two strikes before drawing ball four.
“I saw, like, every pitch,” Schwartz said. “Just keep fouling off the bad pitches and you’re going to get a good one, or walk.”
But Rutgers quickly answered in the next inning to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, scoring three in the top of the fourth on three hits, two walks and an error.
“We got eaten up by the short game,” Wright said of that frame. “There were some scenarios there we have in place defenses to defend that. We just didn’t execute.”
Rutgers bunted three times in the inning, managing a single on one attempt and an RBI on another. Plus, for the second time on the day, the Scarlet Knights plated a run with a double steal.
Schwartz again sparked the Terps offense in the fifth inning with a single up the middle, and Schmeiser added a two-run home run to left, closing the Terps’ deficit to 4-3.
But then Maddox returned to the circle and built on her success from the first game, holding the Terps scoreless with the help of her defense tagging out Dewey at third.
“We teach aggressive baserunning, and Hannah just got a little too aggressive there, given the situation late in the game,” Wright said. “I was holding her. … They make mistakes. It happens.”
Dewey relieved starting pitcher Madison Martin with two on and nobody out in the top of the seventh, picking up two quick outs. But a double into the gap in left-center field gave Rutgers two insurance runs to help seal the sweep.
“We were just a little bit flat,” Wright said. “We didn’t come out with the energy and the intensity we normally have, and I think that really hurt us.”
