Laura Watten
In its 14-5 blowout win over Georgia Tech on Sunday, the Terrapins softball team cut down on the mistakes that held it back earlier in the series.
The Terps didn’t commit any errors on the field, nor did they get too aggressive on the basepaths.
This, combined with the offensive production coach Laura Watten wanted, propelled them to win the rubber match of the series against the Yellow Jackets. The two wins bumped the Terps ahead of Georgia Tech for sole possession of third place in the ACC and marked their first wins against the Yellow Jackets since 2005.
“We’re both, I think, in a place of really trying to maneuver for a position,” Watten said of the conference standings. “We have a couple of series left, so it’s an important series for now.”
Saturday, however, a late miscue in Game 2 of the Terps’ doubleheader overshadowed their win in the first contest.
Trailing 5-4 while batting in the seventh inning, Watten called a timeout after noticing outfielder Sara Acosta swinging away with outfielder Amanda McCann representing the tying run on first. Watten conferred with Acosta and McCann to make sure both players understood the situation. Acosta remained aggressive with the bat, and fisted a soft pop-up to Yellow Jackets shortstop Ashley Thomas.
But McCann had run on the pitch and was halfway to second base. She was stranded, and Thomas threw her out at first base to complete a game-ending double play.
Appearing vexed, Watten approached McCann from her third-base coaching spot with arms extended sideways, searching for answers.
“I don’t know what she was doing,” Watten said. “That’s just them being too anxious.”
Defensive confusion in Game 1 put Watten’s first-ever win against the Yellow Jackets in her eight-year tenure in jeopardy during the bottom of the fifth.
With runners on first and second, infielder Lindsey Schmeiser scooped a bunt but couldn’t make a play because no one was covering first or third, allowing the runners to reach safely. A wild pitch and two RBI singles followed, and Georgia Tech took a 4-3 lead.
“We had pretty good control of the first game,” Watten said. “That was just a situation where we have to focus on what we’re doing and have confidence in making the plays.”
The Terps (23-22, 7-5 ACC) responded with five runs in the next two innings, taking advantage of a Yellow Jackets’ (19-24, 6-6) error in the sixth. They went on to win, 8-6.
By Sunday’s Game 3, the Terps returned to their past hitting form with one of their best offensive games.
They posted their highest run total in a conference game this season. After tallying seven runs in the first three innings, the team erupted for seven runs in the fifth, featuring designated player Lexi Carroll’s two-run home run. The Yellow Jackets struggled to respond, and the Terps had a five-inning, run-rule victory.
Watten is looking forward to the Terps’ extended break before hosting Boston College this weekend. After three consecutive midweek doubleheaders with hotly contested ACC games on the weekends, the team could use a respite.
“It will be good to get everybody healthy and give everybody some rest,” Watten said. “Just take a nice little break before we get back after it next weekend.”
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