By Daniel Chavkin

Maryland lost both games of a double header vs. Rutgers Wednesday, getting shutout 4-0 in game one and losing 6-3 in game two.

Junior Brenna Nation pitched well in game one, but her defense let her down again she allowed four runs on five hits, but only one was earned. Additionally, she pitched the full seven innings.

“She pitched very well,” head coach Julie Wright said. “When she got herself in trouble she got herself out pretty well.”

However, the Maryland offense only mustered four hits off of Rutgers pitcher Dresdon Maddox, and they weren’t able to capitalize on them. Sophomore Skylynne Ellazar had two of the hits, but also committed the crucial error that led to two runs.

“We were just a little bit flat,” Wright said. “We didn’t come out with the kind of energy and intensity we typically have at the plate.”

Wright also thought Maddox’s performance was too much for Maryland.

“She was spinning the ball, and we were struggling with it,” she said.

In game two, Maryland found some more success offensively. Senior Lindsey Schmeiser hit a two-run home run, and the team had more chances to produce. Yet, it wasn’t enough.

“We have to make adjustments in the box during the game,” Schmeiser said.

“We didn’t come out aggressive, we were more passive in the box, so showed on the field,” sophomore Corey Schwartz said.

Like Nation, junior Madison Martin was also hurt by poor defense. She gave up six runs, three unearned, in six innings of work. She ran into trouble in the seventh, allowing two runs to score without recording an out, and was relieved by junior Hannah Dewey.

Maryland heads to Michigan for a three game set over the weekend.