Candice Beards (pictured) and Shannon Bustillos became the eighth and ninth players in Maryland history to reach 100 career RBI.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Candice Beards celebrated Senior Day in style on Sunday, pushing Maryland to an emphatic 8-1 victory against Virginia Tech. The win capped off a weekend celebrating the careers of Beards and Amanda McCann.
Beards surpassed the 100-RBI mark with her third inning home run, becoming just the eighth player in program history to achieve the milestone. Junior Shannon Bustillos then joined the party three innings later, reaching the 100-RBI plateau with a homer of her own.
“Senior Days are always a lot of fun and it was awesome to celebrate with two seniors (Beards and McCann) that have worked so hard over their four years here at Maryland,” said head coach Laura Watten. “It will be tough to replace those two in the program because they’re just all-around quality kids.”
Maryland’s top of the order had an outstanding day, with its first four hitters combining for eight hits, five RBI and six runs. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn Schmeiser (4.0 IP) and Madison Martin (3.0 IP) did their part in the circle, combining to allow just seven hits and one run.
After two and a half scoreless innings, the Terps started a two-out rally in the third with a pair of singles by Bustillos and Kylie Datil. That set the plate for Beards, who belted a three-run shot over the right field fence to give Maryland a 3-0 advantage.
McCann then sparked a two-run fifth inning with a leadoff single through the left side. McCann made her way to third after Datil reached on an error, and Martin helped her cause from the circle with a two-run single to left field.
Vanessa Gonzalez got one back for the Hokies with a solo blast to center field, but the Terps quickly quelled any attempts at a comeback with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. McCann doubled down the right field line to score Corey Schwartz, before Bustillos smashed a homer over the left field fence to put Maryland ahead, 8-1.
