COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Terrapins softball team finished the weekend strong, taking first place in the 2009 Maryland Round Robin tournament after defeating Gardner-Webb 1-0 in the morning, followed by a 10-2 trouncing of Dartmouth in the championship game in the afternoon.

Dartmouth won the right to play in the championship game by starting the morning defeating Manhatten, 5-4, in 8 innings. Maryland then defeated Gardner-Webb in a 1-0 nailbiter. The consolation game was played next, during which Gardner-Webb blanked Manhattan 8-0. Finally, in the consolation game, Maryland came on strong and defeated Dartmouth 10-2 on a 6th-inning mercy rule.

Game 1 highlights

The first game featured Terrapins starting pitcher Sarah Dooley. After a less-than-stellar outing the previous day, Dooley redeemed herself with 5 solid innings of no-run softball, allowing 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. Kerry Hickey mopped up, finishing 2 innings of her own with no hits and 3 strikeouts. On the other side, Bulldogs pitcher Christine Murray had a fine day of her own, going all 6 innings and allowing only 5 hits and 1 earned run with 2 walks and 1 strikeout. That single run was all Maryland would need, however, to win the game and play into the championship.

Maryland scored its single run in the third inning. The inning started off with center fielder Kathy McLaughlin singling to third base. She advanced to second on a Niki Lau ground out to the pitcher. Nadine Blackie came on and doubled to left center field, scoring McLaughlin. There were more opportunities to score in the inning. Kerry Hickey ground out to short, but Breanna Shaw walked and Michelle Takeda singled, loading the bases with two outs. The inning ended, however, when catcher Lydia Fowler flied out to center field.

Game 2 highlights

In the second game, Terrapins coach Laura Watten went back to freshman starting pitcher Kendra Knight, who did not disappoint. She turned in 5 innings, allowing 1 hit and 2 earned runs with 5 walks and 7 strikeouts. The hit and the runs didn't come until the 5th inning, so Knight was on fire well through the first half of the game. Like the previous game, sophomore Kerry Hickey came on in relief and took the game home, completing one inning of work with no hits or runs, 1 walk, and 1 strikeout.

Hickey was saved a seventh inning of work by a strong Terrapins offense that garnered an 8-point lead by the end of the 6th, invoking the mercy rule that prevented the game from continuing. The Terps were relatively quiet in the first two innings but exploded onto the scoreboard in the third. Kathy McLaughlin led off by reaching on an error by Big Green second baseman Kirsten Costello. She then stole second base. Niki Lau reached on an error by first baseman Alyssa Parker, and McLaughlin advanced to third. Lau then stole second, taking away the force out. Nadine Blackie then tripled, scoring Lau and McLaughlin. Blackie came home on the next batter as Kerry Hickey dropped a single into empty space in left field. With three runs and no outs and Hickey on first, Breanna Shaw sacrifice bunted to move Hickey to second. Michelle Takeda then pounded a 2-run homer, scoring herself and Hickey. The Terrapins threatened again as Jennifer Anderson singled to second, but Devon Williams flied out to left field and Anderson was out at second on a force after Marisha Branson grounded to second base.

Dartmouth got 2 on the board and bit into the Terrapins lead in the top of the 5th inning. Nikki Yee began with a single up the middle, and she advanced to second on a wild pitch. Christy Autin then drew a walk, as did Kirsten Costello. With bases loaded and no outs, the Terps were in some serious trouble. Ashley Gleason then hit into a fielder's choice, but no play was available at home. Yee scored, while Autin was out trying to move from second to third. With runners on first and second and one out, both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Molly Khalil hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Costello. Knight wrapped up the inning with a strikeout of Alyssa Parker.

Maryland opened up again in the bottom of the fifth, starting with a Kerry Hickey double. Breanna Shaw grounded out to short. With one out, Michelle Takeda singled through the right side and advanced to second, while Hickey made the rounds and scored. Jennifer Anderson came on and hit a long single to left field, allowing Takeda to advance to third. Vangie Galindo pinch-ran for Anderson, promptly stealing second base. With one out and runners on 2nd and 3rd, Devon Williams sacrifice bunted to the pitcher. Both base runners were able to advance, with Takeda scoring. Alex Schultz grounded out to third to end the inning.

Dartmouth was not able to put any runs on the board in the top of the 6th, and Maryland came into the bottom of the inning with a 7-2 lead. Like most other scoring innings, Maryland's run in the 6th started with Kathy McLaughlin, who singled to get on base. Krista Gould pinch hit for Lau, and singled to left, advancing McLaughlin. Lau then repaid the favor by pinch running for Gould and stealing second in a double-steal on an errant pitch that also brought McLaughlin to third. Nadine Blackie was then hit by a pitch, so she loaded the bases with no outs. Kerry Hickey came on and singled to right field, scoring McLaughlin. Breanna Shaw then doubled to left center field, scoring Blackie and Lau. With the score 10-2, the game was called and the Terrapins were victorious.

The Terps are in action again on Wednesday at 5 pm at home vs. Towson.