March 4, 2005

Final Stats

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - In its first game at Shipley Field since 2003, the Maryland baseball team opened the renovated stadium with a dramatic, 6-4 win over Virginia Tech on Friday night. In the conference opener for both teams, Maryland scored two runs in its final at-bat to beat Virginia Tech, which had overcome a four-run deficit earlier in the game. Dan Melvin hit a three-run double and scored the game-winning run, as the Terps started conference play with a win for the first time since 1985.

Chris Clem (0-1, 2.78 ERA) was solid again for the Terps, scattering nine hits and giving up three runs over 6.0+ innings of work. The senior right-hander got a no-decision, despite leaving the game with a lead in the seventh inning.

Melvin drove in his first runs of the season in the fourth inning and scored the game winner in the bottom of the eighth. The sophomore shortstop also played well defensively and withstood a collision with second baseman Joe Palumbo midway through the game.

Jason Von Behren led off the Terps' four-run fourth inning with a double off the center field wall. A walk to Joe Palumbo and fly outs by Nick Jowers and Matt Maropis left runners on first and second with two outs. Truan Mehl was hit by a pitch to load the bases for left fielder Will Frazier. Frazier lined a Ryan Kennedy offering just foul down the left field line before hitting a hard groundball that was mishandled by Tech third baseman Bryan Thomas. The error plated Von Behren from third and left the bases full for shortstop Dan Melvin. Behind in the count, Melvin emptied the bases with a hard double down the left field line. Melvin's team-leading fifth double of the season gave Maryland an early 4-0 lead.

Virginia Tech would score runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to tie the game at 4-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth.

In the sixth, Tech first baseman Chris Stanton hit a one-run double into left field, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a single through the right side of the infield. Stanton was 2-for-5 with two doubles on the day, one of four Hokies with at least two hits.

Tech started the top of the seventh inning with three straight singles off Chris Clem, knocking Clem out of the game and getting to the Terp bullpen. Justin Hulse relieved Clem with the bases loaded and no outs and walked the first batter he faced to force in a run. The Terps were unable to convert a double play ball by Tom Blaszak the next at-bat, and left fielder Billy Marn scored the Hokies' third run of the ball game.

With a runner on third and one out in the seventh, Tech's Chris Stanton attempted to squeeze the runner home, but popped up a Hulse offering into foul territory on the third base side. Third baseman Jason Von Behren chased the pop-up down to make the catch, and fired to an alert Hulse, who was covering third on the play, for an inning-ending double play.

Von Behren was the lone Terrapin hitter with more than one hit, with each of his two hits being doubles off the outfield wall. In the third, he started a Maryland rally with a double off the wall in left-center, and in the bottom of the eighth, he gave the Terps a two-run lead with a line drive off the right field wall.

Brett Cecil gave up three hits and no earned runs to pick up his first career win. After inheriting a runner in the eighth, Cecil gave up a double and infield single to score a run and tie the game at 4-4 through eight innings. The run was credited to Justin Hulse, who had started the inning with a walk.

In the ninth, Cecil got the lead-off batter to pop-up to second base and gave up a single to right field, before striking out Tech's number two and three hitters to close out the game.

The Terps and Hokies will play finish their three-game series with 1 p.m. games on Saturday and Sunday. Junior Ben Pfinsgraff (3-0, 1.42 ERA) is set to face Tech's Nicky Bowers (0-1, 5.40 ERA) in tomorrow's second game, as the Terps look to win their third straight game.