March 10, 2001
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md.- Kevin McDonald (Rockaway, N.J.) smacked a three-run homerun and went 2-for-5 with three RBI as the Maryland baseball team lost to Virginia Commonwealth, 7-5, Saturday afternoon at Shipley Field.
The Rams opened the scoring with a run in both the first and second innings and two runs in the third to lead 4-0. In the first, Joshua Arteaga drove in his fourth run of the series with a RBI single to left, scoring Matt Davis, to give VCU a 1-0 lead.
In the second, Nick Jones delivered a RBI with a groundout to shortstop, scoring Cory Bauswell, to increase the Rams' lead to 2-0.
Kevin Elrod slammed his first homer of the season in the third, a two-run shot, to build the VCU lead to 4-0.
Maryland got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third when Daryl Whitmer (Waldorf, Md.) connected on his first homerun of the season to deep right field. The long ball was just the second of Whitmer's career.
VCU added another run in the top of the eighth when the Terrapin bats used the long ball again. After Steve Oursler (Clinton, Md.) led off the inning with a single to center, John McCurdy (Crofton, Md.) followed and was promptly hit by a pitch. After two Maryland outs, McDonald slammed his second homer of the season over the rightfield fence to cut the VCU lead to 5-4.
VCU added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth to pad its lead to 7-4. The Terrapins made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth by delivering three hits and one run, but VCU's Chad Baumann forced McDonald to ground out to end the game.
Maryland starter Mark Martin (Manassas, Va.) threw a career-high eight innings allowing five runs, three earned, while fanning five and issuing two walks. The loss was the first this season for Martin and he falls to 2-1. VCU starter Bo Acors (3-0) was efficient, pitching seven innings and surrendering three runs on seven hits to pick up his third win of the season.
Maryland centerfielder Matt Swope (New Carrollton, Md.)finished the day 1-for-5, but did extend his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games.
The win was the sixth-straight for the Rams as they improve to 10-5 while the Terps fall to 4-7. Both teams will conclude the three-game series tomorrow at Shipley Field with play beginning at 1 p.m.
