Maryland softball has relied on its star senior pitchers in close games

After pitcher Brenna Nation graduated last season, Maryland softball coach Julie Wright had to find a way to fill the void she left in the circle. Nation threw 131 innings, 44 more than Madison Martin, the next-closest pitcher.

Entering this year, Wright planned to pitch by committee.

“We’re going to do things where we’ll have four innings, three innings, two innings,” Wright said in February. “We’re going to work two or three pitchers a game. I think that’ll help us.”

But in close games, Wright has shied away from throwing anyone aside from Martin and Hannah Dewey, her two senior pitchers. In each of Maryland’s seven wins this year, Martin and Dewey have been the only two take the circle.

Of pitcher Ari Jarvis’ 13 appearances, seven of them came in relief with the team already trailing. Eight of Lauren Graves’ 13 appearances have also come while the Terps are down. The same goes for Sami Main, with all three of her appearances coming with Maryland facing a deficit.

Granted, Martin and Dewey feature most often as starting pitchers. When they are cruising, there doesn’t seem to be a reason to replace them. Martin has tossed two one-hit shutouts this year, both 3-0 wins over Bowling Green and St. John’s.

But last year, Martin was predominantly a relief pitcher, having only 10 starts among her 32 appearances. This season, the Edmond, Oklahoma, native has already started a team-high 11 games.

After shaky starts from Graves and Jarvis during the team’s opening weekend, the two underclassmen have had limited opportunities starting games. Their last starts came more than a month ago at the Mardi Gras Classic. Jarvis started the 4-2 loss to Bradley, and Graves started in the tie against Dartmouth.

Now that Maryland is into the conference slate, it seems the Terps will continue to start Dewey and Martin and save Graves, Jarvis and Main for relief. Maryland generally plays three games in a weekend during conference play compared to five in some of the nonconference tournaments earlier in the season.

Against the Buckeyes on Friday, Martin pitched a complete game in Maryland’s 6-2 loss. In Saturday’s 10-6 loss, Martin and Dewey split the innings. But in Sunday’s 22-0 shellacking, Dewey and Martin combined for less than two innings of work after falling behind early. Graves, Jarvis and Main finished up the outing.

Wright maintained that despite the heavy workload — Martin has pitched 99 innings, while Dewey has thrown 63 frames — their rough outing against Ohio State wasn’t due to fatigue.

“They’re healthy, and they’re feeling good,” Wright said after the game. “I think it’s just great hitters when you get several looks … it’s tough to hold them down.”

Martin acknowledges that she’s “not a very overpowering pitcher.” She relies on off-speed pitches and tries to paint the corners of the zone, but after a team sees her progressions, it’s easier to pick up on her style. In Martin’s third outing against the Buckeyes, she allowed six hits and seven runs as part of a 13-run second inning.

Graves throws harder, but she’s struggled with location this season. In her 10 innings of work, she has allowed 22 walks.

But with Dewey and Martin graduating, Graves should see an expanded role next season.