Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

The Terrapin softball team might have started a new trend against UMBC: winning games in seven innings or fewer.

The Terps (9-1) extended their best start in program history and their current winning streak to six games yesterday in blistering cold after defeating the Retrievers in both games of their doubleheader. The team used excellent pitching, clutch defensive plays and opportunistic offense to defeat UMBC 5-1 in the first game and 8-0 in the second.

Freshman pitcher Kerry Hickey brought in four of the Terps' five runs in the first contest and also hit her first career home run, a towering shot over the left-center field wall that extended the lead to 5-0.

As if four RBIs and a home run weren't enough, Hickey came on to pitch in the 4th inning after starter Sarah Dooley began to have trouble. Hickey didn't allow a run and struck out six en route to the victory.

"She played crazy today," coach Laura Watten said. "She's going to be so good. It's really good to see her not only come out and hit the ball, but then she came in to pitch and she did a great job."

Hickey's homer capped off an early offensive surge by the Terps, who scored all five of their runs in the first game in the first three innings.

Despite the final score, the first contest was fairly tight, with both teams having their fair share of base runners throughout. The difference came in the Terps' ability to make plays at the right times.

"It feels really good," Hickey said. "We were going eight, nine innings every weekend, so it's nice to finish up and play like we know how to play."

Still, Watten was not pleased after the game with how her team relaxed after building a comfortable lead.

"We do a good job of scoring in the first part of the game, and I think that's been our challenge: We jump out and score, and then we kick back because we think it's going to roll and we get a little relaxed," Watten said. "That's something that has to change."

It changed in the second game.

Once again, the Terps jumped out to an early lead by scoring five runs in the first inning. This time they kept up the production, scoring runs in three of the next four innings, until the game was called in the fifth due to the eight-run rule. The Terps got another stellar effort from junior pitcher Meredith Nelles, who pitched her second straight complete-game shutout and now leads the team with 34 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings. The two wins now give the team considerable momentum going into the University of Central Florida Tournament in Orlando.

"We wanted to come out strong today, put it to them and knock their spirits out," Nelles said. "Coming out and getting two wins going into the weekend, it's keeping our momentum going."

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