2007 ACC Softball Championship: Maryland Eliminates Defending ACC Champion NC State, 3-2 :: Wolfpack seventh-inning rally falls short.

May 10, 2007

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Sixth-seeded Maryland knocked off the defending ACC Champions for the second time in three years as the Terrapins posted a 3-2 victory over No. 2 seed NC State in the first elimination game of the 2007 ACC Softball Tournament Thursday night at JoAnne Graf Field on the campus of the Florida State University.

With the win the Terrapins improve to 33-25, while the Wolfpack fall to 41-19 on the season. The Terps wait to learn their next opponent as the squad will face the loser of the Virginia Tech/Florida State game, which will be played tomorrow, Friday at 3 p.m. ET.

The first run of the game came in the bottom of the second as Maryland first baseman Lindsay Klein got things started with a walk from NC State pitcher Shaina Ervin. Klein was advanced to second following a sacrifice bunt from catcher Jennifer Wellborn. Klein moved to third after third baseman Brittany Bessho hit a single to right field. A sacrifice fly designated player Sarde Steward earned her 17th RBI of the season and brought home Klein to put the Terrapins on the board early.

Extending the lead to 3-0 was Terp senior Amber Jackson, who earned All-ACC first team honors on Wednesday, as she tied the league's single-season home run record with her 24th of the year and first of the four-day tournament. With the out-of-the-park beam, Jackson tallied two RBI, bringing home centerfielder Alex Schultz, who had taken a base on a fielder's choice.

NC State center fielder Blair Harkey would not let the Wolfpack go out without a fight as the junior led a late rally with a double to left center. After right fielder Amber Sims walked and first baseman Allison Presnell singled to second base, the Terrapin defense faced a comeback situation with bases loaded. Although with two outs, the Maryland defense prevailed and left three runners on base to close the sixth inning.

Second baseman Kristine Bechtholdt continued to fight for NC State as the rookie tabbed a double to left field to open the seventh inning. After senior Heather Gelbard walked, freshman Claudia Cooper singled to shortstop, advancing Ashleigh Davis, who was pinch running for Gelbard. It was then that third baseman Jen Chamberlin brought the Pack within one run, sailing a double to right center, collecting her 42nd and 43rd RBI of the season as Cooper and Davis crossed the plate. 2007 ACC Player of the Year Sims grounded out to third base, closing the inning and sealing the win for the Terps.

GAME NOTES:

Maryland senior Amber Jackson collected her 24th home run of the season, tying the ACC single-season record with Whitney Haller of Georgia Tech, who recorded the mark in 2006.
With the pair of losses, NC State marks the second time in three years that the defending ACC champion was knocked out of the league tournament. Both years (2005 and 2007) Maryland knocked the previous champs out of the tournament. The ACC began the double-elimination format in 1994.