Maddie Martin

Maddie Martin could only watch as the ball sailed over the center field fence Wednesday night. Delaware State infielder Ashley Bennett had crushed her 1-0 pitch for a three-run homer.

From there, everything could’ve unraveled for the Terrapins softball pitcher. In Martin’s last start, she conceded six runs to Boston College and left before recording an out. But this time, she responded differently to adversity.

“The past is the past,” Martin said. “I can’t control what happens after I release the ball, so I have to move on from what I did, even if it’s my mistake.”

The right-hander erased the early blemish from her memory and shut out her opponents over the next three innings, helping the Terps (27-23, 9-6 ACC) win, 12-3, in Game 2 of their Wednesday doubleheader. Martin will look to maintain that mental composure in the team’s pivotal three-game set against North Carolina (37-13, 12-6) this weekend.

The Tar Heels are three games ahead of the Terps for second place in the ACC. The Terps’ pitching staff must play an important role if they are to keep up on the field and in the standings.

Martin knows from experience how quickly a game can get out of hand when she doubts herself. She had that in mind after giving up the home run, and she recalled her meeting with sports psychologist Juliet Francis earlier that day.

“I’m going to give up hits; I know that I can’t strike everyone out, and I’m going to miss pitches,” Martin said. “I just have to work on the next batter. … Once someone’s on first or crossed home plate, I can’t do anything about it.”

Francis’ assistance has helped Martin throughout the season, coach Laura Watten said, providing a much-needed boost for the Terps pitcher whenever she struggles mentally.

Martin’s current stretch symbolizes a mercurial year filled with highs and lows. She started regularly during the team’s fall slate, but has been sharing the role with Kaitlyn Schmeiser since the start of the regular season.

Her workload increased during her hot streak late in March, when she received ACC Pitcher of the Week honors. But as her production worsened in April, she fell behind Schmeiser in the rotation. That lack of consistency impacted Martin’s mindset.

“She’s so unbelievably hard on herself, and she internalizes everything,” Watten said. “She puts a lot of pressure on herself.”

Watten had a feeling Martin would struggle at the beginning of her outing against Delaware State, but the eighth-year coach was set on keeping her in the game so she could regain control.

The Terps’ offense, which ranks second in the ACC in RBIs, ultimately provided the support Martin needed. It tallied nine runs in the first two innings, giving her a cushion she maintained throughout the game. The team will need to supply the same production against the Tar Heels, who boast a gaudy .307 team batting average, if it wants to find success in their last home series of the year.

At this critical stage of the season, Martin said, trusting herself and her strengths will keep her in control against North Carolina and for the remainder of the season. Her meetings with Francis have helped her cope with her past setbacks, a development which showed on Wednesday night.

Martin will need to remain poised to continue that progress against the second-place Tar Heels.

“I’m just trying to work through that,” Martin said. “[Wednesday] was a big step in the right direction.”

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