Feb. 17, 2006
Final Stats
ROCK HILL, S.C. - In the nightcap of a Friday doubleheader, the Maryland baseball team lost to No. 26 Winthrop, 10-3, at the Pontiac Griffin Challenge. The host Eagles knocked out three home runs, including two in the fourth inning, and racked up 15 hits on the evening.
Junior Heath Rollins tossed 7.0 scoreless innings en route to his first win of the year for the Eagles (6-2). He fanned 12 Terp hitters and gave up three hits. On offense, Rollins went 3-for-4 with a triple and a pair of RBI. Also for Winthrop, leftfielder Jacob Dempsey finished 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBI.
After giving up 10 runs over the first five innings, Maryland's bullpen shut the Eagles out over the last three frames. Right-handers Ryan Moorer, Brett Jones and Kevin Biringer each threw one inning in relief, yielding just three hits total. Sophomore Brett Tidball was credited with the loss for the Terps after allowing four runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings.
The Terps (1-4) climbed on the board in the top of the fourth. Freshman Dan Benick landed on second after a two-base error by the third baseman, then moved to third on a wild pitch. Designated hitter Gerry Spessard brought Benick in on a groundout to short, giving Maryland its first run of the night.
Maryland pushed two more across in the top of the ninth. Batting with runners on first and second, pinch-hitter Dan Mellies singled to right to load the bases. Then, freshman Mike Murphy drew a walk from Winthrop's Jason Franzblau to bring home second baseman Dan Melvin. Junior Jon Greenwich scored on a wild pitch during the next Terp at-bat to bring the score to 10-3.
For Maryland, the second inning belonged to Benick. In the top of the inning, he doubled to the right field wall to give Maryland a runner in scoring position with one out. Then on defense, he fielded a single to right by Dempsey and gunned down Rollins at the plate attempting to score from second. Benick finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and two outfield assists.
Maryland will play its final game in the Pontiac Griffin Challenge on Saturday afternoon. The team will take on Evansville, which also lost to Winthrop earlier in the day, 3-2. Freshman John Dischert (0-0, 1.59 ERA) will get the nod for the Terps on the hill.
