Maryland had its best offensive chance of the weekend in the second inning of the series closer against Indiana. The Terps loaded the bases with just one out, but at the bottom of their batting order.
They left the inning with no runs after a fielder’s choice and a failed steal attempt. Indiana scored three more runs in the bottom of the frame, and Maryland couldn’t recover in the second leg of Monday’s doubleheader, a 6-3 loss. The Terps lost 2-0 on Monday morning as part of a series sweep by the Hoosiers.
Maryland has averaged just three hits across its last seven games, all losses.
The Terps tallied double-digit runs in their loss to the Hoosiers on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough to match their 20-run total. Four of Maryland’s runs were walked home, and the batting order only mustered four hits.
Those offensive struggles continued during Monday’s doubleheader. Maryland batted just .091 with runners on base in a 2-0 shutout loss in game one. The Terps didn’t get better in the afternoon, recording only three hits and scoring one earned run.
[Maryland softball implodes, allows 15-run inning in 20-10 loss to Indiana]
Maryland (15-22, 3-10 Big Ten) barely got the chance to use its best offensive weapon, Sydney Lewis, as she was intentionally walked in three of her four at-bats the second game. The Terps’ RBI leader was walked four times across the weekend.
Maryland’s power hitters were just as absent.Sam Bean and Mazie MacFarlane picked up a combined four strikeouts. The bottom of the lineup was forced to step up as Julia Shearer and Taylor Borovac, who hold a joint.148 batting average , each picked up hits.
The Terps were plagued by their own runners when they did reach base. Caitlyn Cornwell got thrown out in the Terps’ best offensive chance of the day. With two outs and bases loaded, the junior was caught stealing on a wide leadoff at second.
Keira Bucher threw 4 ⅔ innings in the afternoon game, attempting to keep Maryland in the match. Bri Godfrey had gotten the start but allowed five early runs. Bucher entered in the second and struck out two batters, helping the Terps escape further trouble.
[The Diamondback Sports Digest: Maryland basketball hits the transfer portal]
The appearance was Bucher’s second of the weekend. After throwing 105 pitches in Sunday’s matchup, Bucher tossed another 75 in the series closer, allowing four hits and one run.
Indiana (26-10, 6-5 Big Ten) senior Brianna Copeland struggled again in the circle in her second appearance of the series. She added eight walks to her total after tallying seven on Sunday, but also struck out nine Maryland batters.
The Terps, who capitalized on the small strike zone yesterday, left 15 runners on base across the two games.
Julia Shearer and Jenae Berry started the morning matchup. Both pitchers went the complete game with four strikeouts each.
The Hoosiers, whose .387 batting average leads the country, only needed five hits to move their runners around. Melina Wilkison drove both runs in with RBI singles, Nos. 30 and 31 of the season.
