Feb. 12, 2006
Final Stats
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Sophomore Brett Tidball pitched six scoreless innings and retired the last 10 batters he faced to lead the Maryland baseball team to a 1-0 victory over East Carolina in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday.
Making his first career start on the hill, Tidball dominated Pirate hitters on a frigid afternoon in Greenville, N.C., establishing new career highs in innings and strikeouts (four). After allowing three hits over the first 2.2 innings, the 6-foot-3 lefty settled down and was perfect over his final 3.1. Sophomore Brett Cecil came on in the seventh and earned the save, giving Maryland (1-0) its first shutout since April 7, 2004 (vs. UMBC, 2-0).
Neither team scored until the fifth inning, when the Terps were the first to strike. Leftfielder Brian Jarosinski ripped a single up the middle on the first pitch he saw to leadoff the inning, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Dan Benick. First baseman Jason Von Behren laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to the right side that advanced Jarosinski and Benick (who reached on an error by the second baseman), putting runners in scoring position with just one out. Second baseman Joe Palumbo stepped to the plate and did his job, knocking Jarosinski in on a hard groundout to short and giving the Terps lead. Palumbo finished the day 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.
East Carolina made a bid to tie the game in the eighth inning. Pinch hitter Adam Hodges led off the frame with a pinch-hit single to center, prompting ECU head coach Billy Godwin to send in pinch runner Jamie Ray. Ray moved to second on a sac bunt, giving the Pirates a runner in scoring position with one out. Harrison Eldridge was next up for ECU, sending a fly ball to Nick Jowers in center. But the ball was too shallow for the runner to score, leaving the Pirates with one out to punch the tying run across. But Cecil induced Jake Smith into a lazy fly to right field and Maryland maintained its one-run lead.
The Pirates loaded the bases in the second inning with no outs but were unable to score. Cleanup hitter Matt Witter led off with a bunt single, then moved to second when Jake Dean was hit by a Tidball pitch. Both runners advanced on another Pirate bunt single, loading the bases with none down. But Tidball fanned the next two hitters after getting ahead, 0-2, on both, then induced Chris Buss into a groundout to third base, escaping the inning with no damage.
The game ended when catcher Chad Durakis threw out centerfielder Jay Mattox attempting to steal second.
Game Two of the doubleheader is slated to start at approximately 1:50. Freshman John Dischert will be starting on the mound for the Terps and Shane Mathews will be going for East Carolina.
