Box Score FORT COLLINS, CO – Maryland rallied late, but fell to fellow Big Ten opponent Iowa, 4-3, in the semifinals of the Postseason National Invitational Softball Championship in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Saturday afternoon.

The Terps (38-19) finished the 2023 season with the most wins since going 40-19 in the 2011 season. This season was also Maryland's first postseason appearance since appearing in the 2012 NCAA Regionals.

Down 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Terps looked to mount a comeback, beginning with an RBI sacrifice fly from Trinity Schlotterbeck to make it a 4-1 game. Sydney Lewis followed later in the inning with an RBI double to cut the deficit in half at 4-2, bringing the tying run to the plate with two outs. The next batter, Sammi Woods reached on an errant throw to first that scored pinch runner Gracelyn Solarz from second, putting the tying run at first and the winning run at the plate. However, Maryland was unable to complete the comeback, falling just short.

Maryland and Iowa were held scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when Denali Loecker hit a solo home run down the left field line, giving the Hawkeyes a 1-0 lead. In the fifth, Iowa put up a three-spot, with Loecker once again delivering the big blow with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead. Grace Banes closed out the frame with an RBI sacrifice fly for a 4-0 lead.

Freshman Keira Bucher, after tying the Big Ten single-season saves record in Friday's win over San Jose State, got the start for the Terps on Saturday and threw a career-high six innings, tying a mark that she achieved on Friday v. BYU. Bucher gave up four runs and six hits overall. It was her 29th appearance of the season for Maryland, logging 51 total innings this season. Senior Courtney Wyche came in for a shutdown seventh for Maryland, her 20th appearance of the season and ninth scoreless outing of the season for her.

Iowa (34-27) moves on to the NISC Championship against BYU. 

Breaking Down The Action

• Loecker stuck first for Iowa in the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run as the Hawkeyes took a 1-0 lead.
• Loecker continued her hot hitting for Iowa with a two-run single in the top of the fifth inning, extending the Hawkeye lead to 3-0.
• Banes added the cherry on top of a three-run fifth with an RBI sacrifice fly and a 4-0 Iowa lead.
• Maryland got on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning after an RBI sacrifice fly from Schlotterbeck, making it a 4-1 game.
• Lewis cut further into the deficit with a double to left-center, just out of the outstretched arms of the Iowa left fielder, as Maryland trailed 4-2 in the seventh.
• Woods reached on a throwing error to first as Solarz scored from second, making it a 4-3 game in the seventh.

By The Numbers

• 6: Innings pitched by Bucher on Saturday, tying a career-high set against BYU on Friday.
• 9: Scoreless outings for Wyche following a scoreless inning on Saturday.
• 10: Seasons without a postseason appearance for Maryland before reaching the Postseason NISC this season.
• 29: Appearances this season for Bucher
• 38: Wins this season for Maryland, the most since 2011.