Maryland softball’s five pitchers were not enough to overcome the firepower of its two opponents, No. 12 Alabama and Troy, which both took advantage of fast starts to seal the Terps’ winless day at the Trojan Classic.
The Terps (1-3) fell 10-0 to the Crimson Tide and 10-1 to the Trojans in day two of the tournament.
The first pitcher of the day, senior Sydney Golden, quickly gave up four runs to Alabama in the first inning.
In the top of the second inning, when the Crimson Tide brought home five more runners, junior Kiana Carr entered the circle for the Terps. Carr made her debut against Troy on Friday and allowed no hits in the 4-3 loss, but she didn’t fool Alabama.
The Crimson Tide scored two more runs during Carr’s ⅓ of an inning to take a 6-0 lead, leading to another pitching change. Sophomore Victoria Galvan swapped in for Carr, her second appearance of the weekend.
After 2 ⅔ scoreless innings from Galvan, coach Julie Wright made another change, rotating her options in the circle as she has all season. In the top of the fifth, freshman Amelia Jarecke took to the circle and allowed a walk but no hits or runs in her first appearance for Maryland.
The Terps, however, could not overcome the quick nine runs that Alabama scored in the first two innings, managing three baserunners in the five-inning run-rule loss.
The second game of the day also ended via run-rule after an early onslaught.
After the Terps went down in order in the top of the first, the Trojans put up a five-spot in the bottom half of the frame. Four hits and an error by starting pitcher Sami Main helped the Trojans take a 4-0 lead after six batters, and another run came across later.
Main finally put an end to the first inning with a strikeout of senior infielder Madeline Porter, but not before Troy had surpassed the number of runs they had in yesterday’s matchup.
First baseman Sammie Stefan scored the Terps’ only run of the day in the top of the second, leading off with a double and scoring on a single from left fielder Shelby Younkin.
With Troy leading 5-1, Galvan took over for Main. The switch proved futile against Troy’s hitters, though, who put together another five-run inning in the third.
Jarecke relieved Galvan in the fourth, and the freshman worked around two walks to complete another scoreless inning. The offense, though, only had one inning remaining to stage a huge comeback.
Center fielder JoJo McRae and second baseman Taylor Okada led off the top of the fifth with singles, and Trojans pitcher Annie Willis threw a wild pitch that advanced both of them to advance. The bases were loaded after Willis walked third baseman Anna Kufta walked, but a double play ended the threat and the game.
The Terps will look to get the sweep against Murray State on Sunday, 11 p.m. to close out the opening weekend.
