Oct. 8, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The University of Maryland softball team will hold its annual Fall Tournament this Saturday. The Terps welcome Delaware State, George Washington and Mount St. Mary's to Robert E. Lee Taylor Stadium for a round-robin-style tournament.
Maryland takes the field for the latter half of the four-game event, playing host to George Washington at 2 p.m. followed by a matchup with Delaware State at 4 p.m. For the Terps, the Fall Tournament, now in its third year, provides a chance to gauge the team's offseason progress following nearly a month of fall practices.
"We have been working diligently, since the start of our fall practice season, to gain continuity and consistency within a young and talented team," Maryland head coach Laura Watten said. "This weekend's competition is a great platform for our players to gain actual game experience, while also providing us with a strong sense of our strengths and areas of opportunity to this point."
Tournament play kicks off at 10 a.m. on Saturday when George Washington takes on Mount St. Mary's. That opening game precedes one between Mount St. Mary's and Delaware State two hours later.
During the 2008 regular season, the Terps swept a pair of two-game home series against Delaware State and George Washington, though three of the four contests were decided by three runs or less.
Although Saturday's games will not count toward the upcoming season's record, Maryland should get an indication of where the team stands heading into the 2009 campaign. The Terps return six starters from a team that finished 36-23 last season, tallying the third-most wins in school history.
Among Maryland's returnees are senior pitcher/outfielder Kerry Hickey, junior infielder Devon Williams and senior infielder Breanna Shaw - the team's top returning hitters. Senior pitcher Sarah Dooley, who posted 16 wins last season, anchors the Terps' rotation.
In addition to the returning players, a handful of freshmen and transfers will showcase their talents at Maryland for the first time in a game setting, and recently-hired assistant coach Courtney Scott will make her Terrapins coaching debut during the Fall Tournament.
2008 Maryland Softball Fall Tournament
| | HOME | VISITOR |
| 10 a.m. | George Washington | Mount St. Mary's |
| Noon | Mount St. Mary's | Delaware State |
| 2 p.m. | Maryland | George Washington |
| 4 p.m. | Delaware State | Maryland |
