Courtney Wyche stood on the mound, looking over her shoulder at runners on second and third in the top of the sixth as the Terps trailed Boston College by a run. With two outs and two runs already in, the count was full and Wyche was a strike away from ending the inning.
“I knew that we were going to win that game,” the graduate pitcher said. “I was determined to make sure that they didn’t score more runs after the sixth and that we had a chance to win, which we did.”
The next pitch was a strike and Maryland was out of the inning. The Terps went on to finish their second game of a doubleheader against Boston College on Friday with a 3-2 extra-innings win.
Wyche pitched all nine innings and tallied 134 pitches to fuel Maryland to a victory.
[Sydney Lewis’ late homer lifts Maryland softball over Virginia, 2-1]
Coach Lauren Karn said winning becomes expected once Wyche is on the mound. The pitcher gives the team an opportunity to win, Karn said.
“She’s a big presence on the mound. She takes control.” Karn said. “Under pressure, I think she’s really been great. And so that helps others feel less pressure in some big moments.”
Wyche is no stranger to big moments on the mound. The pitcher is a seasoned veteran in dealing with high-pressure situations and closing out innings. Her performance on Friday was another showcase of her experience. She notched 11 strikeouts against the Eagles which was tied for the second-highest total from a Big Ten pitcher this season.
Wyche was also announced as Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on Monday. Wyche has thrown five complete games this season and her 2.26 ERA is Maryland’s lowest. She’s culminated 63 strikeouts throughout the season, leading the team by a wide margin.
[Maryland softball walks off Boston College with 3-2 extra-inning win]
“Ultimately, I know I can still be even a little bit better than that,” Wyche said. “I get excited when I get those types of stat lines, but definitely, it’s motivation to say okay, ‘how can I be one hit less and one strike out more next time I get an opportunity?’”
The Terps struggled at the plate in their first game against Boston College, which was a 3-1 loss.
While Maryland didn’t get its first hit in its second game until the fifth inning, Wyche kept the Terps in the game long enough for her team to walk off the Eagles in the ninth.
Wyche holds a lot of the positivity and energy for the Terps. Her passion for the sport is palpable on the field when she celebrates a strikeout or when her defense makes a nice play behind her.
The high standard she sets for herself translates to her teammates and creates mutual respect.
“For a lot of my teammates, I’m the person that has that fiery energy that they love playing behind,” Wyche said. “I have a lot of passion for what I do.”
