Maryland
JAMES MADISON
Maryland Downs James Madison, 6-5
4/12/2006 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 12, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland Terrapins (16-20) defeated James Madison, 6-5, on Wednesday night at Shipley Field, sweeping the home-and-home season series from the Dukes. Designated hitter Jordan Wilson and first baseman Gerry Spessard keyed a three-run sixth inning and the bullpen preserved the lead for Maryland, which improved to 9-3 in one-run games.
Sophomore Kevin Biringer (1-1) gave up no runs and no hits in 1.2 innings of middle relief to earn his first victory in a Terp uniform and Brett Cecil was electric in a closing role en route to his ninth save of the year.
James Madison's Jacob Cook (3-3) took the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings before leaving the game after he was struck in the head by a throw from his catcher on a stolen base attempt. Sophomore Kellen Kulbacki was 4-for-4 for the Dukes, reaching base in all five of his plate appearances.
The Terp bats were in motion early against JMU. After leading off with a double down the left field line, Nick Jowers scored the first run of the game on a single by Chad Durakis. Shortstop Dan Melvin reached on a fielder's choice before Matt Maropis connected on a two-run double off the wall in center to give Maryland a 3-0 first-inning lead.
James Madison pulled even with three in the second. A two-run homer by designated hitter Dan Santobianco against starter Ryan Moorer made it a one-run ball game before Michael Cowgill tied things up on an RBI single off the glove of Mike Murphy at third.
Neither team would score again until the sixth when Wilson took the lead back for the Terps. Facing Cook with a 1-0 count, the senior from Frederick, Md. crushed a fastball over the scoreboard in left to give Maryland a one-run edge. Following a two-out single by Joe Palumbo, new JMU pitcher Patrick Riley beaned Jowers and then surrendered a two-run double off the bat of Spessard as the Terps went up, 6-3.
The Dukes closed the deficit to a run in the top of the seventh. After Biringer retired the leadoff man, Joe Lake and Kulbacki both reached against reliever John Dischert. Right-hander Joe Zaccaria was summoned out of the bullpen and, after allowing both inherited runners to score, struck out pinch hitter Lee Bujakowski to end the inning.
Cecil, who touched 94 miles per hour on the radar gun several times, started the eighth inning on the mound for the Terps and struck out the side, all looking. After allowing a bloop base hit to Kulbacki with two down in the ninth, the southpaw got first baseman Nate Schill to fly out, securing the victory for Maryland. A 6-foot-3 sophomore from Dunkirk, Md., Cecil has now saved nine of the Terps' 16 wins. He also owns a team-high four victories, all in relief.
Maryland defeated the Dukes in the teams' first meeting of the year on March 22. The Terps also won that contest by a score of 6-5, snapping then-No. 25 JMU's 16-game winning streak in the process.
Following two straight wins over strong non-conference opponents, the Terps will be tested again this weekend when they play host to No. 16 North Carolina State in a three-game conference series. Game times are set for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
