Feb. 11, 2007
Box Score
ROCK HILL, S.C. -
Junior Nick Jowers recorded career-bests with three hits and four RBIs as the Maryland baseball team soundly defeated the Creighton Bluejays, 10-4, today at the Winthrop Challenge. The Terrapins (2-1) outhit the Bluejays (1-2) by a 16-3 margin and held them scoreless until the seventh inning as Maryland marks its first victory over Creighton, as the Terps were 0-2 against the Bluejays entering the contest.
Junior righthander Kevin Biringer (1-0) earned the starting nod and was nearly perfect in the win, as he retired the first nine batters he faced in order before allowing a leadoff single in the fourth. He finished the day allowing one hit and earning four strikeouts in five innings of work, earning his second career victory. Bluejays starter Ty Johnston took the loss, as he allowed three runs in 4.2 innings of work.
The Terps scored the first run of the day in the bottom of the third inning when AJ Casario notched his first career hit and RBI as he hit a grounder just past the outstretched second baseman, which allowed Nick Jowers to score after he had singled earlier in the inning. One batter later, Dan Melvin singled to load the bases, but the Terps could not capitalize as a strikeout ended the inning.
In the top of the fourth, a great defensive play by right fielder Dan Benick ended the inning as Benick took a Darin Ruf fly out and turned quickly to throw to first and catch Robbie Knight off the bag for the double play.
One inning later, Jowers drilled a pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run, the sixth of his career. The very next batter, sophomore Joe Palumbo, nearly repeated Jowers's feat as he sent a pitch to the warning track in right field for a double. That hit forced Bluejays starter Ty Johnston out of the game, but reliever Casey Schmidt forced a lineout to end the Maryland offensive threat.
Biringer left after five innings, allowing just one hit while fanning four batters. He was replaced by freshman Nick Pearce, who made his collegiate debut and allowed one hit while fanning two in two innings of work.
Jowers added to his run support in the sixth, when he added a single to right-center field, scoring catcher Will Greenberg after the newcomer earned his second base hit in a Maryland uniform to lead off the inning.
Pearce allowed the Eagles' first run of the game in the top of the seventh, when Ruf singled to center, scoring Knight who had struck out swinging but took first base on a passed ball.
Maryland added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh, as they scored five times before recording their first out. Mike Murphy led off with a swinging strikeout, but took first base as the catcher dropped the ball and could not throw to first in time. Following two straight singles by Casario and Melvin, Spessard drove a deep ball to right field for a two RBI single. Benick then singled to left center to score Melvin. Following a pitching change, Greenberg slammed a stand-up triple to right center, scoring two more. After a caught foul ball, Jowers notched his fourth RBI of the game when he added a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Greenberg.
Sophomore Brett Jones and freshman Brian Shellhamer saw their first game action of the 2007 season on the mound.
Maryland returns home for four days off before traveling to Orlando, Fla., to face the University of Central Florida for a three-game series on Feb. 16-18. First pitch from Jay Bergman Field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
