By Justin Fitzgerald

To say this was a disappointing weekend for Maryland softball would be an understatement. The Terps got run ruled in all three games against No. 2 Michigan, losing 9-1, 16-0, and 8-0. Maryland drops to 11-35 and 3-14 in Big Ten play, while Michigan improve to 37-4 and 15-2.

Maryland struggled offensively all weekend. On Friday, the Terps loaded the bases against the Wolverines Megan Betsa in the top of the first, but Kylie Datil struck out swinging. It would be a theme all night for the Terps, who went 1-9 with runners in scoring position.

After 1-2-3 in the second and third, Maryland scored one run in the fourth, but left more to be desired. Betsa struck out Jordan Aughinbaugh with runners on first and second to end the inning. Maryland had another chance in the fifth, but failed to drive in a runner on third with just one out.

While Maryland flopped on offense, Michigan took advantage of its opportunities. Brenna Nation walked three batters in the first to load the bases, and Tera Blanco hit a two run single to put the Wolverines on the board. After Lindsay Montemarano singled, Aidan Falk hit a two-run double to give Michigan a 4-0 lead. They added two in the third and fourth inning, and a sac fly in the fifth gave them a 9-1 run rule win.

A scary moment came in the bottom of the fifth, when Sarah Calta fell to the ground trying to track down a fly ball. Calta was helped off the field by Julie Wright and a trainer, and did not play the rest of the weekend.

Nothing changed in game 2. Madison Martin hit Sarah Lawrence to begin the bottom of the first, and Lawrence stole second and scored after Dillard’s throw went into centerfield. After striking out Sierra Romero, Kelly Christner crushed a homerun to right to give Michigan a 2-0 lead.

Martin retired the first two batters in the second, but then the inning fell apart. Martin hit Lawrence again, and then Romero singled. The inning looked to be over when Christner hit a groundball to first, but it went off Aughinbaugh’s glove and Lawrence scored. Christner then attempted to steal second and drew a throw from Dillard that allowed Romero to score from third. After Kelsey Susalla walked, Blanco hit a three run homerun to extend Michigan’s lead to 7-0. The next four batters went single, walk, single, double, and Martin left the game with the Terps trailing 9-0.

Hannah Dewey shut out Michigan in the third, but failed to get an out in the fourth. Instead she gave up six runs before being replaced by Ari Jarvis. Jarvis only gave up one run on a sacrifice fly, giving Michigan a 16-0 lead.

Once again, Maryland struggled to score with runners on base. They failed to score with runners on first and second with one out in the third, and again when Dewey hit a leadoff double in the fourth. Sarah Lang singled to start the fifth, but Blanco struck out the side to give Michigan a 16-0 win.

On Sunday, Michigan got on the board in the first just like the past two days. Brenna Nation walked Lawrence, and then Romero hit a line drive over the fence to give the Wolverines a 2-0 lead. Nation got out of a bases loaded jam in the third, but couldn’t get out of the fourth.

After striking out the first batter, Nation gave up three singles in a row, the last of which allowed Lawrence to score after Dewey bobbled the ball in right field. Madison Martin retired the next two batters to get out of the jam, and Maryland was down just 3-0.

But like Friday, Maryland had no answer for Betsa, who didn’t allow a hit until Sarah Lang singled in the fifth. Betsa once again was at her best with runners in scoring position. In the second inning with runners on first and second and two outs, Destiny Henderson grounded out to second. The Terps also had runners on first and second with two outs in the fifth, but Skylynne Ellazar popped out to end the rally.

Michigan finally broke the game open in the fifth scoring, scoring four runs on two run doubles from Falk and Lawrence. They added one more run in the sixth when Falk singled to clinch an 8-0 win.

It doesn’t get any easier for Maryland, as they travel to No. 24 Minnesota next weekend.