March 13, 2005

Final Stats

RALEIGH, N.C. - In the series finale at NC State, both teams emptied their benches and their bullpens in a 6-5 nail biter at Doak Field in Raleigh, N.C. A two-out NC State rally in the bottom of the 10th inning scored the game-winning run, as Maryland fell to 9-6 on the year and 3-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Terps return to Shipley Field for Tuesday and Wednesday games against James Madison, before traveling to Charlottesville, Va. for a three-game series with Virginia next weekend.

Early on, the game had all the makings of a Sunday slugfest, but both teams bullpens came up big late in the game to send it into extra innings. Brett Cecil and Chris Bowen each worked themselves out of tight spots late in the game, but the Terp offense couldn't break through on NC State's preseason All-America reliever, Joey Devine.

Five Terrapin hitters had at multi-hit games on the day, led by Jason Von Behren and Elliot Singletary, who were each 2-for-5 with an RBI. Von Behren hit his second home run of the series and third of the game, and catcher Bobby Ryan broke through with his first two hits of the season.

Ryan Moorer gave Maryland 3.1 solid innings in his first career start, but was a victim of four early Maryland errors and left the game with one out in the fourth inning.

The Maryland offense put early pressure on Sunday starter Sam Walls, scoring a run in the top of the first inning. Truan Mehl started things off by working a full count and hitting a hard line drive into right field for a one-out single. Running on a 1-0 pitch to Will Frazier, Mehl moved to third on a single to center field by Frazier. Brian Jarosinski gave Maryland its early lead with a sacrifice fly to deep center field that scored Mehl from third.

Ryan Moorer fought threw two walks, two errors and a first-and-third situation in the bottom half of the inning to keep NC State off the scoreboard.

It didn't take much time for the Terps to add to their lead, as Jason Von Behren led off the top of the second with a high, towering shot well over the left field wall. Von Behren's second home run of the series and third of the season came on Walls' first offering of the inning and gave Maryland a 2-0 lead.

NC State again threatened in the bottom of the second and plated a run to bring the score to 2-1. A one-out single by Brian Aragon and a fielding error by Jason Von Behren left runners on second and third with one out. A sacrifice fly by shortstop Jonathan Diaz scored the Wolfpack's lone run of the inning, and Moorer got out of the inning with a pop out to shortstop Dan Melvin.

After a scoreless Maryland third, NC State knotted the game up at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning. One-out base hits by Mike Jensen and Jake Muyco left runners on second and third, and a groundout by center fielder Chris Engle plated the Wolfpack's second run of the game.

Maryland jumped back on top in the top of the fourth, knocking starting pitcher Same Walls out of the game and getting to the Wolfpack bullpen. Bobby Ryan started the rally with his second hit of the game, a double off first baseman Aaron Bates' glove, and Joe Palumbo followed with his team-leading 10th walk of the season. Elliot Singletary doubled home Ryan from second, and Truan Mehl plated Palumbo from third base with a deep sacrifice fly to center field.

The two-run Terrapin lead would be short-lived after a three-run fourth inning put NC State up by a score of 5-4. An RBI double by pinch-hitter Matt Devine off reliever Brett Cecil started the Wolfpack scoring, and a fielder's choice and throwing error scored two more runs in the inning. Cecil ended the inning by picking off pinch runner Bryan Kinneberg from first base.

Maryland tied the game back up in the top of the fifth inning, as Dan Melvin scored after hitting a one-out double. Melvin moved to third on Jason Von Behren's third hit of the game, an infield single up the third base line, and scored on a fielder's choice by Matt Maropis.

After Jake Muyco led off the NC State fifth with a single up the middle, catcher Bobby Ryan picked him off first with a snap throw. It was the Terps' second straight out recorded by pickoff.

With a 5-5 score through five innings, each team's bullpen put together four scoreless to take the game into extra innings. Brett Cecil and Chris Bowen worked themselves out of several jams with runners on base, and Justin Hulse and Josh Andrews got key outs in the bottom of the ninth.

NC State's preseason All-America reliever, Joey Devine proved as good as advertised, retiring nine of the 10 Terps he faced in scoreless eighth, ninth and 10th innings. Dan Melvin singled off Devine in the Terrapin 10th, but was left on first base.

The Wolfpack scored the game's decisive run in the bottom of the 10th inning, using a single, walk and hit-by-pitch to load the bases with two outs. Pinch hitter Aaron Cone delivered the final blow with a two-out, RBI single through the left side of the infield. The base hit scored pinch runner Travis High from third base to give NC State a win in the final game, and a two games-to-one win in the series.