Feb. 18, 2005

Final Stats

WILMINGTON, N.C. - The Maryland offense got on the board early and often, using a six-run fourth inning to key a 12-8 victory over UNC-Wilmington on Friday. Jordan Wilson had a career-high four hits and three RBI to lead a Maryland offense that pounded out a season-high 19 hits. Eight of the nine Terrapin hitters had at least one hit, led by an explosion from the bottom half of the Maryland lineup.

Wilson's four hits contributed to an 11-for-18 day from the Terps' 6-7-8-9 hitters, as the bottom part of the lineup scored seven runs and drove in seven more. Dan Melvin and Chad Durakis each had three hits, with Durakis hitting two doubles and driving in three runs against a UNC-Wilmington team that is a heavy favorite to win the Colonial Athletic Association title this season.

The Seahawks took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, with leadoff hitter Kenny Smith scoring on a passed ball by Maryland catcher Chad Durakis. Smith reached on an infield single, as shortstop Dan Melvin knocked down a hard groundball in the hole. He advanced to second on a groundout to pitcher Chris Clem and to third on a deep fly ball to center field, before scoring on the passed ball.

Maryland responded in the top of the second, scoring two runs on UNCW starter Zach Kimball. Melvin, hitting sixth in the order, got the inning started with a double to deep right field, and he scored the next at-bat on a hard single to left by Jordan Wilson. Two batters later, catcher Chad Durakis plated Wilson from second with a two-out blooper to shallow right field.

UNCW would tie the game in the bottom half of the inning, scoring its second unearned run of the game. After reaching on an error by first baseman Jordan Wilson, the Seahawks' Chris Hatcher stole second and scored on a single by Michael Marbry.

After a scoreless third inning, the Maryland bats erupted in the top of the fourth, scoring six runs on five hits to take an 8-2 lead. Dan Melvin started a string of four straight Maryland hits with a line drive single into left field. Jordan Wilson followed with a single, Jason Von Behren with an RBI double to left center and Chad Durakis with a two-run double to right center. A Truan Mehl groundout scored Durakis, and Matt Maropis scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Justin Maxwell. Will Frazier ended the Maryland scoring with his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field.

The Seahawks chipped away with a one-run fifth and two-run sixth inning, bringing the score to 8-5, but the Terps responded with two runs of their own in the seventh inning. Justin Maxwell launched a high home run well over the center field wall, putting the Terps up 9-5. Brian Jarosinski got his first hit of the season with a blooper to right field and moved around the bases to score the Terps' second run of the inning.

Maryland's Justin Hulse got the game's final eight outs, and the Terp offense added runs in the eighth and ninth innings to close out the game with a 12-8 win. Casey Baron picked up the win with 1.2 innings in relief of starter Chris Clem, who went 4.2 innings without giving up an earned run. In all, five of the Seahawks' eight runs were unearned, with the Maryland defense committing four errors in the game.

The second of the three-game series will be tomorrow at 2 p.m., with live stats again available by logging on to www.umterps.com.