TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Maryland’s Kelly Shipman and Amanda Bettker pitched a combined no-hit performance to eliminate Georgia Tech from the Atlantic Coast Conference softball tournament Saturday night, 3-0, at the Florida State Softball Complex. Tech ends its year 22-38, while the Terrapins (48-20) advance to meet Virginia Sunday in the consolation final for the right to go the championship round against Florida State.
The no-hitter was only the second in ACC Tournament play, as Florida State threw one against the Yellow Jackets in the 1992 tournament. Tech had three players reach in the game, as shortstop Ellen Styer and right fielder Kori Jacobson were each hit by a Shipman pitch, and catcher Anne Knobbe reached after Shipman muffed a ground ball in the fourth inning.
Maryland scored its first run in the top of the fourth inning when centerfielder Michelle Burrell walked to lead off the inning and then scored two outs later rightfielder Cortney Madea doubled to the center field wall. The Terrapins put two runners on with an infield error and a single to start the fifth inning and pitcher Kelly Shipman delivered an RBI single and Burrell a sacrifice fly to plate runs. Maryland opened up the game with a four-run sixth inning. Second baseman Fawna Lackovic struck the big blow with a two-run double down the left field line and one batter later she scored after catcher Sarah Putnam singled and an outfield error allowed Lackovic to come home. The Terrapins capped the scoring when shortstop Jennifer Potzman drew a bases-loaded walk to send home the seventh run.
“We struggled at the plate tonight and lost to Shipman for the third time this year,” said head coach Kate Madden. “When she settled in after the first couple of innings it was a long night for us but we faught hard and played well defensively. Overall for the tournament, we did much better than we hoped, as we won a very big game against North Carolina and advanced a step farther than last year.”
Maryland (48-20) 000 124 0 -- 7 8 1Georgia Tech (22-38) 000 000 0 -- 0 0 3
Kelly Shipman, Amanda Bettker (7) and Sarah Putnam. Mimi Utt, JamieSmith (5) and Anne Knobbe. WP — Shipman (29-12). LP — Utt (13-26). T — 1:55.
