March 24, 2006
Final Stats
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland Terrapins (9-14, 3-7 ACC) dropped their series opener with No. 14 Miami, 10-2, on Friday night at Shipley Field. Four Terp errors materialized into eight unearned runs for the Hurricanes, who won their 16th consecutive game.
Carlos Gutierrez gave up two runs on five hits in 7.0 innings for Miami (22-6, 7-0 ACC) while recording his seventh victory of the season.
Maryland received a strong effort from left-hander Casey Baron, who was making his second start of the year on the hill. In a career-high 5.2 innings, the junior from Fairland, Md. allowed six hits and eight runs, all but two of which were unearned.
For the Hurricanes, a first-inning miscue by the Terps opened the door for four runs. With two down and runners on the corners, shortstop Steve Braun misplayed a groundball by the Hurricane's Danny Valencia, keeping the inning alive with men on first and second and one run already in. The error would prove even costlier, as catcher Eddy Rodriquez cleared the bases with a three-run home run to left field to make it 4-0, Hurricanes.
Maryland wasted no time chipping away at the lead, putting two runs on the board in the bottom of the first. Following back-to-back singles by Braun and first baseman Gerry Spessard, catcher Chad Durakis belted a double off the wall in left to give the Terps' their first run of the game. Spessard would come in on a passed ball to close the deficit to two. During the inning, Braun extended his hitting streak to nine games while Durakis made it 11 in a row with a hit.
The Hurricanes added two more in the top of the fourth. Rodriquez singled and advanced to third on a double by Tommy Giles with one away. A wild pitch would allow the catcher to score and Giles later came in on a sacrifice fly to right to bump Miami's lead back up to four at 6-2.
A passed ball, balk and throwing error by Maryland in the sixth paved the way for two more Hurricane runs and a muffed fly ball by left fielder Dan Benick opened the door for another two in the ninth as Miami went up 10-2.
The second game of the series is set for Saturday night at 7 p.m. Maryland's Ben Pfinsgraff is slated to start against Miami's Manny Miguelez.
