By Cam Hasbrouck

Maryland dropped their final game of the season on Sunday, Senior Day, as Wisconsin completed their three-game sweep of the Terrapins. The Terps mustered just four hits while giving up eight in their 5-0 loss.

Wisconsin wasted no time in jumping out front, storming out to a commanding 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Maryland starting pitcher Hannah Dewey allowed three walks and four hits in the first frame, with Sara Novak, Melanie Cross, and Gabby Scherle all driving in runs for the Badgers.

Meanwhile, Maryland’s offense was held quiet, and was held hitless until the fourth inning.

Wisconsin added to their lead in the third inning with an RBI single from Kelsey Jenkins, putting Wisconsin up 5-0. That score would hold for the remainder of the game.

Wisconsin made the most of their opportunities, going 5-12 with runners in scoring position, while scoring three runs with two outs. Maryland on the other hand was hitless in three attempts with runners in scoring position, and failed to score by any means.

Wisconsin’s Kaitlyn Menz earned the win, pitching six innings, and allowing just four hits despite striking out only one batter. Maryland’s Dewey was given the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits in three innings of work.

Madison Martin, who came in to relieve Dewey in the fourth, allowed one hit and one walk in three innings of work, and Lauren Graves struck out two in one inning in the circle.

The loss guaranteed a last-place finish in the Big Ten for the Terps, who won just four games in the conference all season. Despite their record, head coach Julie Wright is confident that this year’s team laid the groundwork for a successful program.

In particular, she was thankful for this season’s seniors.

“They’ve been able to draw from their experience, and really helped this younger group acclimate,” Wright said of the seniors. “They’ve been through alot with this program. I’m just really proud of how they persevered and how hard they played.”

Wright is confident that the work that this season’s team put in for the program will yield results down the road.

“There’s a lot of work that got done this season that no one outside of us (the team) will see until next year, and into the future… they did the heavy lifting,” said Wright.

Maryland has six freshmen coming in next season to replace the seniors who are leaving, and Wright is excited to see what they’ll bring to the program.

“We have a nice balance between power and speed, and we have a pitcher who is doing really really well, and she’ll do well in the Big Ten.”