The Terrapins softball team left Tempe, Arizona, encouraged but also wondering what could have been after playing the first five games of its season.
The Terps held a late 2-0 lead over No. 6 Oregon on Saturday in their third game of the Kajikawa Classic.
But a seven-run sixth inning from the Ducks spoiled the upset bid; Oregon went on to win, 7-2. Still, coach Julie Wright said the style of play the Terps showed against Oregon was what she was looking for from her players.
“They had more depth and experience, but we flat-out competed,” Wright said.
Inconsistent play at the plate plagued the Terps throughout the tournament, which they finished with a 2-3 record. In losses to Boston College, Oregon and Utah State, the team scored a combined three runs. In wins over Boise State and San Diego, however, the Terps scored 22 runs.
The Terps received a boost from infielder Skylynne Ellazar, who started only eight games last season. She went 7-for-16 during the weekend and 3-for-3 against Boise State. She played so well that Wright moved her from the bottom half of the order to the No. 2 spot against Utah State in the final game of the weekend.
“It feels good” to be a lineup regular, Ellazar said. “It was a sense of not relief, but more that hard work paid off. I was happy that they started me earlier in the lineup because I had to work my way up.”
Outfielder Destiney Henderson also had a 3-for-3 game — in the 9-4 win over Boise State — and impressed throughout the weekend.
Ellazar and Henderson “are just athletic kids who are finding their game again,” Wright said.
Catcher Kristina Dillard starred as well. She went 6-for-15 at the plate and picked off two base runners. Wright said she was impressed with the junior’s demeanor, character and overall play.
“She’s been quite the anchor for us,” Wright said.
The Terps offense received its power from senior infielder Lindsey Schmeiser, who belted two home runs out of the leadoff spot against San Diego and had six hits in the tournament.
Brenna Nation and Hannah Dewey handled most of the pitching workload, while Madison Martin came in for relief on a couple of occasions.
Dewey had the best Terps’ best pitching performance of the weekend when she threw six innings and allowed just three earned runs in a win over Boise State. Nation finished the game with a perfect seventh inning.
“Overall, [the pitching staff] has done very well,” Wright said. “They’ve made huge improvements since the fall, and I think now it’s about understanding how to game manage.”
In their losses, Terps pitchers were plagued by big innings. Boston College had a four-run third, Oregon had a seven-run sixth and Utah State had a four-run sixth. Wright said improved pitch location is essential in preventing such harmful innings in the future.
After the weekend, Wright’s primary message to her team hasn’t chanced: bring an aggressive approach to every single game. She said she saw that style of play in the near-upset of Oregon, but it went missing in other games.
“It doesn’t matter who is in the other dugout. It is all about us,” Wright said. “I am seeking consistency in the approach with which we play the game.”
