May 8, 2008

• 2008 ACC Softball Championship Site
• Webcast Archived on ACC Select
• Box Score
• theACC.com Photo Gallery

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Boston College, in just its third-ever appearance in the ACC Softball Championship, defeated seventh-seeded Maryland, 7-3, Thursday night to advance to day two of the league's postseason tournament on the campus of the University of Maryland. Next up for the Eagles will be either North Carolina or NC State Friday night at 8:00 p.m.

Maryland, which fell to second-seeded Virginia Tech in the day's second game, seized the early lead with three runs in the top of inning three. After third baseman Devon Williams opened the stanza with a single to left, a misplayed sacrifice and hit batter loaded the bases with only one out. First baseman Sarde Stewart brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly to left field, and then catcher Brittany Nessho scored another two with a double down the left field line.

The Terrapins' lead would not hold, however, as the Eagles struck back in the bottom half of the third. After loading the bases with a walk, fielder's choice and bunt, a Maryland error on a ground ball that rolled all the way to the wall cleared the bases, evening the contest at three.

BC would jump ahead in the fourth, scoring four runs on a single, triple and home run by Taylor Peyton, Allison Booth and Amy Tunstall, respectively. Pitching in relief, freshman Allison Gage would keep the Terps at bay through the games last three innings, stranding two in the fifth, and mowing down the Maryland batters in the sixth and seventh. The win for the BC freshman is her 19th of the season.

For the Terps, Thursday night's loss ends the team's run in the ACC Championship. The team will now await word of its NCAA postseason fate. Selections for the national tournament will be announced Sunday, May 11, at 10:00 p.m. on ESPNU.

Competition at the 2008 ACC Softball Championship is scheduled to begin Friday at 10:00 a.m. Fourth-seeded Georgia Tech and No. 8 seed Virginia will open play, with the winner advancing to face either Florida State or Virginia Tech. Each of Friday's games will be webcast live at www.ACCSelect.com.