Maryland softball continued to struggle Friday in the Hawaii tournament, but the Terps picked up a win, beating Cleveland State, 5-4, in eight innings after losing to No. 4 Tennessee, 7-1.
Maryland stuck around against the Volunteers until late in the game. The Terps struck first in the fourth inning on infielder Jacqui Pascual’s RBI double. Tennessee answered by tying the game in the bottom of the inning on a bases-loaded wild pitch.
The Volunteers broke the game open in the fifth, putting up five runs, one charged to starter Ryan Denhart and four more against reliever Sydney Golden.
The Terps’ bats continued to stagnate, with only three hits, and none after the fourth inning. Maryland also went 1-for-9 with runners on base.
Maryland’s offense showed signs of life early in game two, jumping out to a 3-0 lead after two innings. Cleveland State got one run back in the bottom of the second. Golden, who started the game, kept the Vikings there.
Cleveland State tied the game in the fifth against Denhart, when catcher Riley Ries hit a two-run single up the middle.
Ries was Cleveland State’s star, with the single and a solo homer accounting for the first run in the second inning.
The Terps put together a better offensive showing against the Vikings, registering eight hits. Their clutch hitting improved as well, going 5-for-14 with runners on base and 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Maryland’s clutch offense came through in the game’s biggest moment. With the game tied in the top of the seventh and two outs, Pascual singled infielder Brigette Nordberg home to give Maryland the lead.
Cleveland State struck back to tie the game, bringing in a runner from third on infielder Hanna Breeden’s infield single. Denhart escaped the jam to send the game to extra innings.
Maryland scored in the eighth off infielder Bailey Boyd’s sacrifice fly. Denhart notched two strikeouts, and right fielder Shelby Younkin threw out a runner on a single to end the game.
