After Dartmouth tied the game in the third frame, Jaeda McFarland came to bat in the top of the fourth with the bases jammed and two outs.
On a 1-0 count, McFarland lined the ball up the middle to center field. Ruby Butler and Michaela Jones scored, putting the Terps back in front, 4-2.
Maryland softball faced off against Dartmouth Sunday morning and defeated the Big Green, 5-2, for the Terps’ fourth consecutive win and first winning series of the season after winning four of their five games at the Chanticleer Showdown.
After a scoreless first inning, Maryland struck first in the second.
Taylor Okada led off the inning with a bunt single and Jones reached on an error to put two runners on with no outs. Ruby Butler stepped up to the plate and singled to first to score Okada for the first run of the game. Merissa Borkowski followed with a sac-fly to right field, bringing Jones home from third to give the Terps a 2-0 lead early.
Dartmouth responded quickly in the bottom of the inning. Kate Farren led off for the Big Green with a solo home run over the head of Borkowski in right, cutting the Terps’ lead in half, 2-1.
[Maryland softball earns two wins in the Chanticleer Showdown]
Dartmouth tied the game in the third with help from Maryland’s defense. Billie McFayden led off the inning with a single and Mary Beth Calahan singled with one out two put a runner in scoring position. Calahan was picked off at first, but McFayden’s heads up baserunning allowed her to advance to third and score on the throw,
Maryland regained its lead in the top of the fourth. With the bases loaded and two outs, McFarland entered the batter’s box looking to do damage. McFarland did just that, as she singled to center field, scoring both Jones and Butler. After giving up their lead just a half inning earlier, giving the Terps a 4-2 lead.
In the top of the sixth frame, Maryland had a golden opportunity to extend its lead. Butler led off the inning with a walk and Borkowski was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with no outs. However, a strikeout and back-to-back groundouts ended the inning to leave Butler and Borkowski stranded.
Mackense Greico added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. She led off with a blast over the wall in left field for a home run — her third of the season.
[Maryland softball splits doubleheader with Central Michigan, Monmouth]
Entering her third inning on the mound in relief of Courtney Wyche, Trinity Schlotterbeck shut down the Big Green in order in the bottom of the seventh to close out the win for the Terps.
In her three innings on the mound, Schlotterbeck allowed only one hit and struck out five batters to earn the save.
After losing or splitting both of their series this season, the Terps won four straight games to finish strong at the Chanticleer Showdown.
