Maryland
Stetson
George's Two Home Runs Power Terps Past No. 18 Stetson
2/15/2003 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2003
DeLand, Fla. - The Terps flexed some muscle against a nationally-ranked opponent to record their first victory of the season.
Maryland (1-1, 0-0 ACC) hit three home runs, two of which came from senior Kyle George (Bel Air, Md.), using the longball to defeat No. 18 Stetson (3-3) in front of their home crowd.
Ray Gemmill (Silver Spring, Md.) also homered, while Radford-transfer Bobby Ryan (Damascus, Md.) continued his hot hitting by going 4-for-4 and reaching base in all five plate appearances.
In two games, the George-Gemmill-Ryan combination has gone 16-for-25 (.640), with three home runs, three doubles and seven RBI. Last year in 56 games, George hit just three home runs.
The Terps also played flawless defense behind an outstanding effort from sophomore right-hander Chris Clem (Berwyn, Pa.), who limited the Hatters to just three hits in 6.2 innings.
The offense scored steadily throughout the game, tagging starter Roger Lincoln (0-2) for three runs in the first three innings, but a three-run sixth inning put the game away for good. Will Frazier (Mitchellville, Md.) led off the inning with a single to left, and score on the next at bat on a triple by Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.). George sent the next pitch over the left field fence to collect his second and third RBI of the game.
Clem, a sophomore, showed poise in his ninth career start, pitching out of a two on, no out jam in the fourth and keeping the ball on the ground.
Jared Stuart (Corning, N.Y.) and Steve Schmoll (Rockville, Md.) pitched the final 2.1 innings to seal the game. Schmoll, who had 57 punch-outs in 52.2 innings last year, struck out four in two innings of work.
Stetson, who is hosting the Amtrak Invitational, recorded just four hits in their second loss in two days and third of the season. A nationally-ranked power for the last several years, the Hatters have suffered losses to Oklahoma State and George Washington already this season.
The Terps play their last game of the tournament Sunday morning when they square off against local rival George Washington at 11 a.m.
