Down 3-0 in the third inning against Illinois on Saturday, Maryland softball put runners on first and second with no outs. It was the type of opportunity the Terps needed to take advantage of to beat the Big Ten’s best offensive team.
Instead, Maryland (15-22, 5-3 Big Ten) managed just one run. The Terps did not get another quality scoring chance in their 7-1 loss against the Illini.
The Terps’ offense improved marginally from the first game of the series, when they were shut out and only reached base twice. They recorded five hits and drew two walks on Saturday but were still dominated by Illinois starter Taylor Edwards for the second consecutive day.
Maryland went 1-for-11 with runners on base and 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Illinois, meanwhile, was 6-for-14 with runners on and 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Saturday’s game started much like Friday’s 11-0 blowout, with Illinois jumping ahead in the first inning. Two RBI hits and a sacrifice fly brought the runs in for the Illini. The Terps pushed their only run across on a sacrifice fly by infielder Skylynne Ellazar in the third.
Maryland’s starter Sydney Golden held Illinois’ dynamic offense mostly in check in the early going, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks through three innings.
Illinois (24-13, 5-4 Big Ten) broke the game open in the fifth inning, however, scoring two runs against Golden and two more off reliever Ryan Denhart to push the lead to 7-1.
The loss clinches the Terps’ first Big Ten Series loss of the season after taking the first two against Penn State and Iowa.
