May 8, 2000

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - The University of Maryland baseball team (22-30, 5-16 ACC), having taken a three-game ACC series from NC State this past weekend, wraps up its regular season against George Washington and Duke this week. The Terps and Colonials square off at Shipley Field on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Maryland then battles the Blue Devils Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., also at Shipley Field.

Scouting Maryland

Maryland enters the week at 22-30 (3-15 ACC) having won three out of five games last week. The Terps split a two-game midweek series against Richmond May 2-3. Maryland rallied from two runs down in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 9-8 on May 2, but lost 8-2 to the Spiders the following day. Junior first baseman Chuck Easter (Baltimore, Md.) had a career-high five-hit performance in the May 2 win, including a career-high three doubles and a triple. He also scored the winning run on a wild pitch.

This past weekend, the Terps took two out of three games from NC State. Senior left-handed pitcher Joe Hart (Walkersville, Md.) led the way on Friday with a 3-0, complete-game shutout. Senior designated hitter Craig Munroe (Thornhill, Ontario) hit a two-run home run in that game. On Saturday, however, the Wolfpack got even with a 5-4 come-from-behind win. Maryland then bounced back to take the rubber match 13-3 on Sunday behind a career-high two home runs and five RBI by junior shortstop Sean Lomas (Brewster, N.Y.).

Senior first baseman/ designated hitter Craig Munroe remains the Terps' offensive leader with a .365 batting average, 11 home runs, 18 doubles and 58 RBI.

Senior left-handed pitcher Joe Hart leads all Terp pitchers with a 4.04 ERA and 73 strikeouts. Hart also leads the team with 82.2 innings pitched. His current record is 4-6. He is coming off two straight complete-game victories, the first of which came against on April 28.

Junior third baseman Steve Oursler (Clinton, Md.) is second on the team with a .353 batting average and enters the week a team-high, eight-game hitting streak. Sophomore outfielder Matt Swope (New Carrollton, Md.) is hitting .327, junior outfielder Brian Patenaude (Marietta, Ga.) is hitting .315 and junior first baseman Chuck Easter is hitting .311. Swope and Patenaude are tied for the team lead with 13 stolen bases.

Maryland vs. George Washington

Maryland and George Washington square off for the second time this season with the Colonials having won the first game at home 3-2 on March 14. In the all-time series, the Terps hold a 39-25 lead (there have also been four ties). Last season, the Terps won the lone meeting between the two schools, 11-8, on April 20.

George Washington enters the week with a 32-19 record, having last beaten George Mason 10-6 on May 2. Senior outfielder/ catcher Matt Walker leads the Colonials with a .411 batting average, 10 home runs and 66 RBI. Freshman right-handed pitcher Gregg Conden is the top starting pitcher with a 7-1 record and a 3.62 ERA.

Maryland vs. Duke

Maryland and Duke have squared off 126 times since 1924 and the Terps hold a 68-57-1 lead in the all-time series. Last season, the Terps swept a three-game series at Duke April 2-4 by scores of 12-5, 21-13 and 15-12.

The Blue Devils enter the week with a 15-36 record (4-17 ACC), having last beaten Old Dominion 7-6 on May 7. Senior infielder Jeff Becker leads Duke with a .354 batting average. He also has five home runs and 37 RBI. Junior right-handed pitcher Ryan Caradonna leads all starters with a 4.95 ERA. He has a 5-8 record.

Two Of A Kind

Having beaten NC State two out of three times this past weekend, the Terps have now won two ACC series this year. They also beat Wake Forest two out of three times April 21-23.

The last year the Terps won a pair of ACC series was in 1997, when they took two out of three games from Clemson (March 21-23) and Duke (April 4-6).

Hart Attack

Senior left-handed pitcher Joe Hart enters the week with a 4.04 ERA. That is the lowest ERA posted by a Maryland starter this late in the season since former Terp Pat Baker finished the 1993 season with a 3.53 ERA.

Hart has tossed two straight complete games heading into the week, including his complete-game shutout victory over NC State on May 7. It was the first complete-game shutout tossed by a Terp pitcher since former Terp Eric Milton beat North Carolina 12-0 on April 7, 1996.

With his two complete games this season, Hart is the first Terp pitcher to throw more than one complete game in a season since former Terp Brandon Agamennone threw three in 1997.

Party Of Five

Junior first baseman Chuck Easter went 5-for-5 in the Terps' 9-8 win over Richmond on May 2. It marked the first time in his career that he has had a five-hit game.

The most recent five-hit game turned in by a Maryland player came when junior left fielder Brian Patenaude went 5-for-6 against Duke on April 3, 1999.

Safe At The Plate

Junior outfielder Brian Patenaude scored four times in the series against NC State May 5-7, bringing his season total to 53 runs. That is the seventh-highest single-season total in Maryland history. With his next run, Patenaude will tie former Terp Clyde Van Dyke (1990) for the sixth-highest total. The single-season record of 70 runs was set by Chris Stark in 1985.

Rank	Name	         No.	Year
1.	Chris Stark	 70	1985
2.	Derek Hacopian	 69	1992
3.	Kevin Haverbusch 64	1997
4.	Bryan Davenport	 81	1985
5.	Casey Trout	 61	1998
6.	Clyde Van Dyke	 54	1990
7.	Brian Patenaude	 53	2000
8.	Craig Munroe	 49	1999
8.	Casey Trout	 49	1999
10.	Ron Hartman	 48	1996
10.	Ken Noe	         48	1992

When One Just Isn't Enough

Junior shortstop Sean Lomas became the third Terp this season to belt two home runs in a game when he launched a pair of round-trippers against NC State on May 7.

Earlier this season, senior designated hitter Craig Munroe had his first career game with two home runs against UMES on April 19.

Senior second baseman Jason Mohap (Ashland, Pa.) hit two home runs against James Madison on April 5, marking the third time in his career that he has homered more than once in a game.

Against Coppin State on March 31, 1999, Mohap hit a school-record three home runs and drove in a school-record eight runs. He also hit a pair of home runs and drove in four runs against UMBC on April 30, 1998.

Going, Going, Gone

Senior designated hitter Craig Munroe smacked his 27th career home run as a Terp against NC State on May 7. That ties former Terp Scott Bronowicz for seventh place all-time with 27 home runs. With his next home run, Munroe will tie former Terp Chris Smoot (1989-92) for the sixth-highest career total.

Former Terp Paul Schager (1984-87) is Maryland's all-time home run king with 43 career round trippers.

Rank	Name	        No.	Years
1.	Paul Schager	43	1984-87
2. 	Scott Patterson	32	1985-88
2.	John Brisee	32	1978-81
4.	Tim Gordon	30	1980-82
4.	Jeff Bengston	30	1984-86
6.	Chris Smoot	28	1989-92
7.	Scott Bronowicz	27	1995-98
7.	Craig Munroe	27	1999-pres.
9.	Derek Hacopian	23	1992
10.	Ken Noe	        21	1990-92 

Career Bests Heading into the week, five of Maryland's returning position players from last season are on pace to finish the 2000 campaign with the highest batting average of their career.

Name Avg. Previous High/ Year Craig Munroe .365 .351/ 1998 * Matt Swope .327 .301/ 1999 Brian Patenaude .314 .301/ 1999 Jason Mohap .295 .272/ 1999 Kevin McDonald .278 .268/ 1999

* Played at Temple University