With a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning lead against No. 6 Oregon in the Kajikawa Classic, the Terrapins softball team was poised to pull off a stunning victory over one of the best programs in the country.
But a seven-run sixth inning comeback by Oregon undid a strong outing from pitcher Brenna Nation and spoiled the upset bid to give the Ducks a 7-2 win.
Nation pitched five scoreless innings to start the game, working out of trouble on numerous occasions. In the sixth, though, she allowed five runs on five hits before Madison Martin relieved her.
Terps infielder Skylynne Ellazar built off yesterday’s three-hit day with an RBI double in the second, and Martin added an RBI single to give the team an early lead. But the offense couldn’t muster a response to Oregon’s big sixth inning and went down in order in the seventh to end the game.
In the second game of the afternoon, the Terps hitters came alive in a wild 13-9 victory over San Diego.
Eight different Terps reached base in the bottom of the first, and infielder Lindsey Schmeiser capped off the eight -run inning with a two-run home run.
San Diego responded with a seven-run third to narrow the Terps’ lead to 8-7, but the Toreros pitchers could not hold the Terps offense in check.
Schmeiser belted her second home run of the game, and three batters later, Dewey hit a two-run shot to highlight a five-run third.
Through four games, the Terps have got a big boost from the bottom of the order hitters. Outfielder Destiny Henderson followed up a 3-for-3 game against Boise State yesterday with a 3-for-4 performance against San Diego. She is 6-for-10 on the season.
Ellazar, Kylie Datil and Kristina Dillard have also added bottom-half production, and all three players hit safely against the Toreros.
The Terps (2-2) could not overcome Oregon despite holding a lead until the sixth inning, but their win over San Diego gives them a chance to leave Tempe, Arizona, with a winning record. The Terps play Utah State tomorrow at 11 a.m.
