March 16, 2005

Final Stats

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - After pulling out a 3-2 victory against James Madison on Tuesday, Maryland baseball was unable to overcome a four-run first inning by the Dukes on Wednesday, falling 6-4. The Terp offense pounded out 10 hits, but didn't convert on some of its opportunities, leaving five men in scoring position and nine on base for the game. The bullpen combination of Josh Andrews and Justin Hulse threw 5.0 scoreless innings to keep the game close late, but the Terps trailed throughout and fell to 10-7 on the season.

For the second straight day, the Maryland bullpen held James Madison scoreless, with Josh Andrews striking out three in 3.2 shutout innings, and Justin Hulse closing out his second straight game with 1.1 hitless and scoreless innings.

Offensively, Elliot Singletary, Truan Mehl and Dan Melvin each had at least two hits, as the Terps' 1-through-4 hitters went a combined 8-for-19 with three runs and three RBI. All three extended current team-high hit streaks to three games, and Melvin hit his team-high ninth double of the season. Will Frazier, Matt Maropis and Chad Durakis each tacked on hits, and catcher Bobby Ryan walked twice and scored a run.

James Madison leadoff hitter, Skyler Doom, started the Dukes off in the top of the first inning with a groundball to shortstop Dan Melvin that took a bad hop and hit Melvin in the chest. After Kellen Kulbacki walked and Nate Schill was hit by a pitch, Doom and Kulbacki would score on a sacrifice fly and a pair of Maryland throwing errors. A walk to catcher Matt Sluder and back-to-back RBI singles by Matt Bristow and Joe Lake gave JMU an early 4-0 cushion.

The Terps got one back in the bottom half of the inning, as first baseman Elliot Singletary led the Maryland offense off with a home run for the second time in five games. In Singletary's last three games, he has five hits, with all five of those going for extra bases. Included in that are doubles in three straight games and two multi-hit performances.

After Bobby Ryan walked to start the bottom of the third, Singletary doubled for his second hit of the game, leaving men on second and third and no outs. After a groundball out and pop out for the first and second outs of the inning, Dan Melvin hit a hard infield single to score Ryan from third. Jason Von Behren followed with a strikeout, but a wild pitch by pitcher Bobby Lasko allowed Von Behren to reach and Singletary to score from third base. The two-run inning pulled the Terps within a run at 4-3 after three innings.

Maryland starter Sean Kane showed flashes today of the 2004 form that allowed him to post a 2.39 ERA in home and neutral starts. But, after the big JMU first inning, the Dukes got to Kane again in the fourth to knock him out of the game.

Kane got the first out of the inning on an infield pop-up, but Skyler Doom singled to left center and stole second base to put a runner in scoring position with one out. Doom would advance to third on a wild pitch, before Michael Cowgill lined a two-run home run over the wall in left-center.

The Terps would score another run to come within 6-4, but would get no closer. JMU starter Bobby Lasko threw 7.2 effective innings, scattering 10 hits and putting quick ends to Terrapin rallies. Travis Risser closed out the game with 1.1 hitless innings and two strikeouts to record his school record-tying 10th career save.

Maryland will get back to Atlantic Coast Conference action this weekend, traveling to Charlottesville, Va. for a three-game set with the University of Virginia (14-6, 0-3 ACC). Chris Clem (1-1, 3.90 ERA) and Mike Ballard (4-1, 2.57 ERA) are probable starters for the series opener on Friday.