Maryland
Clemson*
Maryland Falls To Seventh-Ranked Clemson, 3-2, In 11 Innings
4/8/2006 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 8, 2006
CLEMSON, S.C. - After coming back to tie the game in the ninth inning, the Maryland Terrapins (14-19, 6-11 ACC) fell to No. 7 Clemson, 3-2, on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th at Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday. The Terps, who left 13 men on base, have now lost their last two games to the Tigers by a total of three runs.
With the score tied at two, Clemson's Tyler Colvin led off in the 11th with a double to right off of reliever Brett Cecil (4-3) and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by first baseman Andy D'Allesio. Following an intentional walk, right fielder Travis Storrer stepped up with runners on the corners and sent a fly ball to left. Matt Maropis made the catch on the move but Colvin beat the throw home as the Tigers escaped with the victory.
Maryland starter Ben Pfinsgraff allowed two runs over 7.1 innings but did not factor into the decision. He scattered 11 hits, struck out six and issued no walks while shutting Clemson out over his final five innings on the mound. Also for the Terps, Dan Melvin went 3-for-5 and Gerry Spessard was 2-for-5 with a walk.
Clemson's Daniel Moskos (3-4) struck out the only batter he faced en route to the victory while starter Jason Berken yielded one run on four hits in 6.2 innings of work. Five Tigers collected two hits apiece on the day.
The Terp bullpen came through in the bottom of the eighth with the team trailing, 2-1. After back-to-back singles, the Terps brought in Seth Overbey to replace Pfinsgraff with two on and one down. The senior from Waldorf, Md. needed just one pitch to end the threat, getting pinch hitter Jameson Smith to ground into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to keep the Tiger lead at one.
Maryland followed its clutch pitching with a spark on offense in the ninth, tying the game at two. Centerfielder Nick Jowers led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by pinch hitter Dan Benick. The Tigers then called in right-handed pitcher Steve Richard to face the top of the order. Batting from the left side, switch hitter Joe Palumbo singled to right just past the glove of a diving D'Allesio to score Jowers from second and give the Terps new life.
Overbey retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning and Cecil did the same in the 10th, but Maryland was unable to push any runs across during the extra frames.
The Tigers came out swinging right from the start. Singles by Brad Chalk and Taylor Harbin gave Clemson men on first and second with one away. D'Allesio then drove a single to right to bring in Chalk and put the Tigers ahead, 1-0.
The Terps evened things up in the top of the second. A leadoff single by catcher Chad Durakis and a pair of walks to Jowers and Palumbo loaded the bases for Maryland. With two outs and Maropis at the plate, Durakis scored on a passed ball to tie the game at one.
Clemson would get the run back in the bottom of the third. After Chalk doubled to the fence in right and moved to third on a wild pitch, Harbin blooped a single to center as the Tigers regained the lead at 2-1.
The Terps made a bid to tie the game back up in the top of the seventh. Wink Nolan singled to right and Maropis walked with two outs, prompting Clemson to bring in lefty Alex Martin to face Spessard. The redshirt freshman delivered for Maryland with a single to right, but Nolan was thrown out at home attempting to score from second on the play as the Tigers maintained their one-run edge.
The Terps will get one more crack at Clemson in the series finale tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
