After the Terrapins softball team suffered its worst loss in program history Sunday against Nebraska, coach Julie Wright told her players not to dwell on their disappointment. Instead, she asked them to focus on Tuesday’s doubleheader with Saint Francis (PA).
Still, pitcher Brenna Nation said the embarrassing defeat motivated the team to step up.
“No one likes getting their butt whooped,” Nation said. “So I think … individually you kind of had to look at yourself.”
The Terps showed improvement against the Red Flash, notching a 6-3 afternoon win. However, they weren’t able to carry that momentum into their second game, falling 7-3.
Nation struggled against Nebraska in the Terps’ 26-4 Sunday loss, surrendering seven runs in one inning. But she pitched better in the first game against Saint Francis, throwing a complete game and earning her third win of the season.
“I’m in a lot better of a place mentally,” Nation said, adding that she has put in extra work with assistant coach Lisa Norris in recent weeks.
With Nation limiting Saint Francis, the Terps capitalized on miscues by the Red Hawks and tallied six runs. Saint Francis committed five errors over the two games, but Wright’s squad failed to convert on multiple opportunities at the plate in the nightcap.
It started in the first inning — the Terps used an error by infielder Aly Ramsaier to load the bases, but with one out, catcher Kristina Dillard popped out and infielder Jordan Aughinbaugh flew out to end the threat.
The Terps squandered another chance in the third. Infielder Lindsey Schmeiser reached on an error and utility player Hannah Dewey drew a walk. But outfielder Kylie Datil got under a two-out pitch and flew out to center field.
In the pitching circle, Dewey faltered after keeping the Red Hawks scoreless over the first three frames. She allowed four runs in the fourth inning, and Saint Francis scored three more runs in the fifth that gave the Red Flash a 7-0 advantage.
The Terps responded with a run in the fifth on an RBI groundout from Dewey and another in the sixth on the Red Flash’s third error of the game, charged to pitcher Alexis Bower for a bad throw.
With two on and no outs in the seventh, Datil blasted a fly ball to center field, but it was caught at the track. The next two batters — Aughinbaugh and Dillard — were retired to end the game.
The loss in the second game of the doubleheader leaves the Terps 0-9 in games following a win.
“It’s the story of our season,” Wright said. “We don’t put back-to-back great games together. We haven’t done it yet.”
