April 13, 2002
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md.- Sophomore third baseman Anthony Buffone (Manalapan, N.J.) crushed a walk-off, two-run home run, as Maryland rallied to win a thrilling 9-8 victory over No. 4 Georgia Tech Saturday night at Shipley Field. The Terps trailed 8-3 entering the bottom of the eighth inning but scored four in the eighth and two in the ninth to secure the comeback victory. The win was the first this season for the Terps over a nationally-ranked team and the first victory of the Terry Rupp era over a top-five ball club.
The Terrapins slammed a season-high five home runs to knock off the No. 4 Yellow Jackets. The fireworks started early as Maryland tallied solo home runs in the first, second and third innings respectively. In the first, junior shortstop John McCurdy (Crofton, Md.) moved into a tie for fourth place all-time on the single-season home run list at Maryland with his 16th home run of the season.
In the second, Buffone hit the first of his two home runs on the night that hit the top of the fence in left center field and just got out of Shipley Field.
Senior right fielder Matt Swope (New Carrollton, Md.) got into the act in the third as he drilled a solo shot to give the Terps a 3-0 lead. The home run was a special one for Swope as he moved into first place on the career runs scored list at Maryland with 159 for his career.
The Yellow Jackets did not score until the sixth inning when they crossed home plate two times. Center fielder Brandon Boggs got Tech on the board with a RBI-groundout and third baseman Matthew Boggs delivered a RBI-single to right to cut the Maryland lead to 3-2.
Tech added six runs over the next two innings off the Maryland bullpen to take a commanding 8-3 advantage. In the seventh, right fielder Jeremy Slayden crushed a two-run home run to give Tech its first lead of the night at 4-3.
The Yellow Jackets looked to put the game away in the eighth with another four runs. Catcher Tyler Parker got things started with a RBI-double and Matthew Boggs came through with his second RBI-hit in as many innings to stretch the lead to 6-3. A two-out, two-run single by Slayden extended the Tech lead to 8-3.
The Terrapins would not quit, as they battled back like they have all season long. After walks to Buffone and freshman left fielder Will Frazier (Mitchellville, Md.), freshman designated hitter Jason Maxey (Columbia, Md.) came up big with a three-run homer to center field to send the crowd of 558 into a frenzy at Shipley Field and it cut the Tech lead to 8-7.
In the ninth, junior first baseman Ray Gemmill (Silver Spring, Md.) got the inning started with a leadoff walk. After freshman Joseph Natale (Hoboken, N.J.) came in to pinch run, he advanced to second on a bunt by senior catcher Kevin McDonald (Rockaway, N.J.). With the game-tying run on second, Buffone ended the contest with a dramatic walk-off, two-run shot, which sent the Maryland players pouring out of the dugout to celebrate the game-winning blast.
The two-home run contest was the first for Buffone in his career.
The exciting come-from-behind victory overshadowed a strong pitcher performance by Maryland starter Jared Stuart (Corning, N.Y.). Stuart held Tech in check, limiting the Jackets to two runs on four hits in six innings of work.
Maryland reliever Brad Lyons (Massapequa, N.Y.) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second win of the season (2-2) while Georgia Tech reliever Aaron Walker (1-2) earned the loss after surrendering the game-winning blast to Buffone.
With the victory, the Terps improved to 22-13 on the year and 2-9 in the ACC while Georgia Tech fell to 30-5 with the loss and 7-3 in the conference. The two teams will play the rubber game of the series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Shipley Field.
