Maryland Baseball Travels To Virginia For Three-Game Weekend Series

March 17, 2005

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TERPS TRAVEL TO VIRGINIA

Now 10-7 overall and 3-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, Maryland baseball travels to Charlottesville for its third conference series of the year. Facing a Virginia team that has won six straight games, the Terps will look to Chris Clem and Ben Pfinsgraff to get back on the winning track. Note: Friday's gametime has been moved from 7 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Audio broadcasts are available for the three-game set, with links available on www.umterps.com and www.wmucsports.com. Live stats will also be available by logging on to the www.umterps.com baseball site.

Information can now be submitted to join an online newsletter mailing list. Titled "The Maryland Baseball Bulletin", the newsletter is sent to you each time new information is posted to the Maryland website. This includes weekend previews, game recaps, feature stories and more.

PREVIEWING THE CAVALIERS

2005 Record: 14-6 (0-3 ACC).
2004 Record: 44-15.
All-Time Series: Maryland leads 77-73-1.
Last Meeting: Virginia 2, Maryland 1 (11 innings) - April 18, 2004.
Notes: UVa has played nine games against 2005 Maryland opponents, including recent wins over Longwood, James Madison and Coppin State by a combined 36-3 margin ... Virginia has two separate six-game win streaks this season ... over its current six-game streak, UVa has alternated shutouts and double-digit scoring outbursts ... both Maryland and Virginia took two of three games at UNC Wilmington ... the Cavaliers haven't given up more than three runs in any of their seven errorless games this season (6-1 record).

Virginia will be playing its second conference series of the year, heading into the weekend with a 14-6 overall record and six straight wins. The Cavaliers are 0-3 in conference play, having lost three road games to Wake Forest, but are 12-1 overall at home. With an average of 860 fans per home contest, UVa Baseball Stadium is quickly becoming one of the more difficult places to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The trio of Mike Ballard, Matt Avery and Jeff Kamrath (expected to start in that order this weekend) has combined for 15 of the team's 20 starts and 10 of the team's 14 wins this season. As a whole, the Virginia staff has a 2.93 ERA (third in the ACC) and has allowed opposing offenses to hit just .229 this season. Ballard headlines the starters with four wins and a 23:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while Casey Lambert (0.00 ERA/five saves/17Ks in 11.2 IP) and Sean Doolittle (1.38 ERA/.163 BAA) are primary options out of the bullpen.

Preseason All-America third baseman Ryan Zimmerman leads the Cavaliers, both offensively and defensively. Widely regarded as a first round-caliber draft choice in June, Zimmerman is in the midst of a monster offensive season (.418 average/.633 slugging/29 RBI) to complement defensive ability that put him on scouts' radar screens last season. Eight Virginia hitters are batting over .280, and the team collectively has more walks (68) than strikeouts (66) this season.

Head coach Brian O'Connor is in his second year at Virginia, having compiled a 58-21 overall record. Last season, he led the Cavaliers to an improbable run from a seventh place predicted conference finish to ACC runner-up and NCAA regional qualifier. Last season, the Terps caught Virginia in the midst of its school-record 14-game win streak, but played the Cavaliers tough in losing three games decided by two runs or less (two in extra innings).

CURRENT STATS AND TRENDS

Pitching
Josh Andrews has a 2.53 ERA in his last 11 non-conference appearances ... Andrews has yet to give up more than one run in any of his four appearances this season ... dating back to last season, Casey Baron has given up two earned runs in his last 11 appearances of less than 2.0 innings (1.59 ERA in 11.1 innings) ... in the last two seasons, Chris Bowen has a 1.64 ERA when he comes out of the bullpen ... Bowen has a team-best 0.79 ERA this season and hasn't given up a run in his last 7.0 innings ... all five of Brett Cecil's appearances have been at least 2.0 innings this season, and he's yet to give up more than one earned run ... Chris Clem gave up a season-high six earned runs at NC State (3/11), but got his first win of the season ... after some unfortunate earned runs at UNC Wilmington, Justin Hulse has lowered his ERA with each appearance (seven) he's made ... Hulse hasn't given up a run in his last five appearances ... Ryan Moorer has given up just one extra-base hit (double) in his first four career appearances ... Ben Pfinsgraff has 28 strikeouts and just three walks in 31.0 innings ... Pfinsgraff has yet to hit a batter this season and has gone at least 5.0 innings in all of his starts ... Mike Sufczynski won his first career start on Tuesday against James Madison, giving up five hits and two runs in 6.0 innings ... both of Sufczynski's career appearances have come in 3-2 Maryland wins ... Brad Taylor gave up three hits and two runs in the first inning against UMES (3/9), but has given up four hits and no runs in 5.1 innings since.

Offense
Maryland is 4-0 when Chad Durakis scores at least one run ... Durakis had hits in both mid-week games against James Madison ... with a double at NC State, Will Frazier moved up on Maryland's career lists to a fourth place tie in extra-base hits (72) and a fifth place tie in doubles (45) ... Brian Jarosinski hit .478 (11-for-23) with six extra-base hits and seven RBI over a recent seven-game stretch (2/25-3/11) ... Nick Jowers made his second start of the season Tuesday against James Madison ... Matt Maropis started at second base on Tuesday and Wednesday and had hits in both games against JMU ... on Tuesday, he recorded his third multi-hit game of the season, including a game-winning home run in the fourth inning and his first RBI of the year ... Truan Mehl has reached base safely in 17 of the team's 18 games this season ... Mehl's last three games: one hit at NC State, two hits vs. JMU, three hits vs. JMU ... for his career, Mehl has exactly 20 stolen bases, 20 walks and 20 RBI ... Dan Melvin is third in the ACC in doubles (0.53/g) and leads the team with nine ... Melvin has hits in 11 of his last 13 games and is now first on the team with a .586 slugging percentage and second with a .362 average ... freshman Joe Palumbo leads the team with 10 walks and has struck out just once ... catcher Bobby Ryan recorded his first hits of the season at NC State, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run on Sunday (3/13) ... Elliot Singletary's last eight hits have been for extra bases, and he now leads the team with a .605 slugging percentage ... Singletary has reached base in all nine games as the team's leadoff hitter and has hits in eight of his last 10 games overall ... Maryland is 6-1 when Jason Von Behren has just one hit ... Von Behren has had at least two hits in four of six conference games this season ... first baseman Jordan Wilson has missed the team's last four games after spraining his ankle at NC State (3/12) ... Wilson ranks ninth in the conference in batting (.419) and leads the team with 13 RBI.

RECAPPING JAMES MADISON

Looking to rebound from a tough series at North Carolina State, the Terps took the field on Tuesday and Wednesday against James Madison. The team earned a split in the two games and has now lost three of its last four since putting together its third three-game win streak of the season.

On Tuesday, the Terps scored runs in the second, third and fourth innings to come away with a 3-2 win. On Wednesday, JMU jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning and led throughout, winning 6-4.

With 10 hits in both games against James Madison, the Terp offense continued to roll. Truan Mehl, Dan Melvin and Elliot Singletary each extended current team-high hitting streaks to three games, and Matt Maropis seemed to emerge after struggling to start the year. Mehl had two hits on Tuesday and three on Wednesday to move his season total to a team-high 23. Melvin hit his ninth double of the season on Wednesday and was a combined 5-for-8 with two RBI in the two games. Singletary, now the team's leader in slugging percentage (.605) had three hits, three runs and a home run against JMU.

First-time starter Mike Sufczynski looked to be one of the team's primary options in mid-week games, giving up five hits and two runs over 6.0 innings. The redshirt freshman, who struck out four in 2.1 scoreless innings against UMES (3/9), earned his first career win as Maryland went on to win, 3-2.

The Maryland bullpen was outstanding in both games, giving up a combined three hits and no runs in 8.0 innings of work. Going back to the final game of the NC State series (3/13), Terp relievers have given up two runs in 14.1 innings (1.26 ERA) in three games that were decided by two runs or less.

SLUGGING AWAY

Infielders Dan Melvin and Elliot Singletary both continue to rake for the Terps, and both continue to elevate their slugging percentages with extra-base hits. Melvin, the team's doubles leader, is second on the team only to Singletary with a .586 slugging percentage, and has hits in seven of his last eight games. Last season, Melvin fell just short of Maryland's single season doubles list with 16. This season, he is on pace for 28 doubles, which would tie a school record.

Singletary is slugging .605 this season and is tied for second on the team with six doubles. The senior has also led two of the team's last six games off with a home run and has eight RBI in his last nine games. In his last seven, Singletary has eight hits - all of which have been for extra bases.

CLEM CLOSING IN ON CAREER LEADERS

Senior Chris Clem, a starting pitcher for four years at Maryland, continues to move close in on several school career lists. He is fifth all-time at Maryland with 242.1 innings and stands 51.2 innings shy of career innings pitched leader, John Rayne (1989-92). Clem is 13 strikeouts shy of ninth on the Maryland career list and four wins shy of sixth place.

LEFTIES ANCHOR TERP BULLPEN

Through 17 games this season, four Terp left-handers have sub-2.00 earned run averages. Chris Bowen leads that group with a 0.79 ERA, 1-0 record and one save in four appearances. Brett Cecil got off to a red-hot start and is 1-0 with two saves and a 1.42 ERA. Josh Andrews has appeared in long relief, short relief and a spot start, and has responded by giving up just four hits and two runs in 10.0 innings (1.80 ERA). Casey Baron, the team leader in walks-per-nine innings last season (1.27) is nursing a sore elbow, but has given up one earned run in three appearances this year (1.80 ERA).

JAROSINSKI HEATS UP

Working through an early slump to start 2005, junior outfielder Brian Jarosinski heated up through the second week of conference play. "Jaws", among Maryland single season leaders with 16 home runs and 58 RBI in 2004, hit .478 (11-for-23) with six extra-base hits and seven RBI over seven games between the Charleston Challenge and the NC State series.

In the middle of that seven-game hot streak, Jarosinski also made the move from the corner outfield to center field to replace an injured Justin Maxwell. The well-built outfielder showed good range and defensive prowess immediately, making up for the loss of what Baseball America called the Atlantic Coast Conference's best athlete and defensive outfielder.

PALUMBO ADDS SPARK TO MARYLAND LINEUP

Though hitless in his last six games, freshman Joe Palumbo has been a prototypical nine-hole hitter since making his first start at the Charleston Challenge. Palumbo had a hit in each of his first four starts and got off to a .357 start at the plate, with his approach helping to turn the lineup over and giving Maryland's big bats more opportunities to hit with men on base.

Palumbo has been patient and has stayed within himself at the plate, seeing pitches and hitting the ball where it's pitched. For the year, his scrappy approach has yielded a team-high 10 walks and a .444 on-base percentage.

MEHL DOES IT ALL FOR THE TERPS

In his second year at Maryland, senior right fielder Truan Mehl has blossomed into one of the team's most valuable players, both offensively and defensively. At the plate, he leads the team with 23 hits, 12 runs and six stolen bases and has reached base 11 times via bases on balls (6) and hit by pitches (5).

Defensively, Mehl has been a lockdown defender with the most powerful arm on the team. Twice this year Mehl has made diving catches in one-run games, with the Terps winning each of those games. In Rock Hill, S.C., Mehl made a diving catch with a runner on third and two outs in the eighth inning of a 2-1 win against Western Kentucky. And last week against UMES (3/9), he made another diving grab to end an inning, laying out on a sinking line drive in the Terps' comeback win over the Hawks.

MOORER SHOWS PROMISE IN FIRST CAREER START

After two bullpen appearances, freshman right-hander Ryan Moorer made his first career start in the series finale at NC State (3/13). The 13th round draft choice (Chicago Cubs) showed improved command and development of his secondary pitches. Moorer features a low 90's fastball as well as an improving power curveball and quality change-up. NC State hitters had a difficult time catching up with Moorer's fastball, with his curveball and change-up keeping hitters off balance.

BOBBY RYAN BACK BEHIND THE DISH

Senior Bobby Ryan made his first start of the season against UMES (3/9) after working through some personal issues at the start of the year. Ryan is a big, strong player who can take control of a game behind the plate. He is also one of the top catch-and-throw guys in the conference and a player who threw out over 30 per cent of would-be base stealers in 2004.

Ryan has quick feet behind the plate and can throw with a free and easy release from multiple arm angles. Since returning to the Maryland lineup, his reputation alone has slowed down opponents' running games, and his chemistry with veteran starters Chris Clem and Ben Pfinsgraff could pay huge dividends through conference play. Offensively, Ryan has shown an improved stroke and an ability to hit from both sides of the plate. In the series finale at NC State, Ryan recorded his first two hits of the season, including a hard double and run scored in the fourth inning.

SINGLETARY SETTLING IN AT LEADOFF SPOT

Since senior Elliot Singletary returned to action against Virginia Tech (3/4), he has been a starter at designated hitter or first base in 10 straight games. In the last nine, Singletary has hit lead-off and has been just the type of hitter the Maryland lineup has needed. He has hits in seven of those nine games, as well as four multi-hit games and eight RBI. He had four extra-base hits at NC State last weekend, including a leadoff home run in the first game of the series - a 15-6 Maryland win.

On top of the offensive production, Singletary has also shown a knack for getting on base and the toughness of a good leadoff hitter. In his last seven games, he has three walks, a hit-by-pitch and three sacrifice bunts, and has stolen two bases from the top of the Maryland batting order.

INJURY REPORT

Junior OF Justin Maxwell is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with a broken left hand ... sophomore LHP Casey Baron tweaked his throwing elbow on Friday and is day-to-day with the injury ... junior infielder Jordan Wilson rolled his left ankle in Friday's win over NC State and is listed as day-to-day ... he has not played in the team's last four games ... senior infielder Elliot Singletary has been limited to first base and DH duties since opening weekend due to a right shoulder injury ... junior LHP Michael Meagher is nursing a left shoulder injury, but should be available soon.

Maryland Baseball Travels To Virginia For Three-Game Weekend Series

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