The Maryland softball team did not record a hit Friday against Minnesota in a 10-0 run rule loss.
Saturday, it took just two batters for the Terps to notch their first knock, and they took a 1-0 lead in the opening frame on an RBI single from catcher Kristina Dillard.
But they couldn’t build on their initial success against pitcher Nikki Anderson and didn’t score another run in the contest. With limited offensive production, the Terps suffered an 11-1 loss to the Golden Gophers in five innings.
Maryland has now lost 10 consecutive games and five straight via the run rule.
Dillard went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in the series opener but had two hits Saturday, including her RBI in the first. The rest of the lineup had four combined hits, though, as the Terps struggled to provide starting pitcher Madison Martin with enough run support.
Martin fell victim to two things that have plagued her throughout the season – home runs and a shaky defense. In 87 innings this season, she’s served up 19 long balls (a team high) while being hindered by 28 unearned runs.
In the second inning, she hung a two-strike pitch up in the zone to infielder Maddie Houlihan, who blasted a solo home run to center field, tying the game 1-1.
Then, with two runners on base later in the frame, Martin got Sydney Dwyer to hit a fly ball straight at outfielder Destiney Henderson. The sophomore couldn’t haul it in, however, letting it clank off her glove as two more runs came in.
By the time Martin was removed from the game in favor of utility player Hannah Dewey, she had allowed five runs, but only one of those was earned.
Freshman Ari Jarvis made a rare appearance for the Terps in the fourth frame. Entering the contest, she had pitched just 2.2 innings.
Though she struck out two hitters, she surrendered three runs to extend the Golden Gophers lead to 11-1.
