Maryland softball started the Bevo Classic with a shutout win over UMass. Sunday’s rematch went completely different.
The Minutewomen’s offense decimated the Terps in the second meeting. UMass used five hits and two walks to score seven runs in the third inning, taking complete control of the game while Maryland endured a lackluster own offensive performance.
The Terps suffered a 10-1 mercy-rule defeat to close the Bevo Classic, ending their time in Austin with more problems than they entered with. The Minutewomen’s six-game losing streak was snapped, while Maryland dropped its final four games of the tournament — none by less than three runs and two via mercy-rule.
Genevieve Ebaugh made her first appearance of the season, starting in the circle for the Terps (4-6). The junior, who pitched to a 4.44 ERA in seven appearances last year, struggled mightily.
Ebaugh allowed five runs on three hits and two walks in only 2 ⅓ innings. The damage started in the opening frame when UMass (4-6) scored just three batters in to surpass their offensive outing from Friday.
[Maryland softball splits doubleheader with UMass, No. 1 Texas]
The offensive chaos emerged from there and peaked in the third inning. The Minutewomen didn’t even need home runs, which Maryland’s pitching has consistently allowed this season.
Two early walks from Ebaugh, followed by a wild pitch, put runners on second and third with one out. A fielder’s choice and a Lydia Castro double scored the pair and ended Ebaugh’s outing.
But that didn’t stop UMass’ hot bats. Rotating in two more pitchers by the end of the game, the Terps’ staff didn’t have an answer for the damage.
Freshman Aubrey Wurst, who fired a complete game shutout in the first meeting between the schools, was damaged for three runs in only ⅔ of an inning. She allowed three straight hits to start her outing, the final two each bringing home two runs.
Riley Kairer provided one of the run-scoring knocks, leading the Minutewomen’s offense throughout the day. Her four RBIs lead the team and marked a new career best.
UMass scored another run in the top of the third before the eventual end of the inning. It added two more runs off junior Bri Godfrey in the fourth inning to close its output.
[Maryland softball splits doubleheader with loss to No. 21 Cal, win over Utah]
The Terps’ response to the Minutewomen’s performance was having yet another slow start, going down in order in each of the first three innings. Maryland struggled to find strong contact — only one of its outs was via a strikeout.
Freshman Matti Benson eventually gave the Terps a hit with a two-out triple in the fourth inning, the first three-base knock of her career. A Sydney Lewis groundout thwarted the scoring chance.
Maryland finally got its lone run of the game in the fifth inning. Junior Madison Runyan was walked, later advancing to second on a wild pitch and scoring on a Bailey Murphy single to center. But the deficit was still too large to avoid a mercy-rule loss.
The Terps will return home to regroup before their third weekend-long tournament begins at the Carolina Classic. With a lack of stable pitching, Maryland will have to find an offensive improvement.
