Feb. 17, 2007

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Maryland baseball team continued its dominance at the plate in 2007 as the Terrapins scored five runs in the first inning en route to a 9-7 victory over the University of Central Florida this evening at Jay Bergman Field. Maryland improves to 4-1, its best start since the 1987 season in which it opened the year 5-1. The Terps continued to capitalize on defensive missteps by the Golden Knights, as the UCF pitching staff was charged with just three earned runs, while the Knights' position players committed five errors on the day.

Junior right-hander Ryan Moorer picked up his first win of the season, finishing the day with two runs allowed on three hits in five innings pitched, while tying a career-high with six strikeouts.

For the second day in a row, the Terps crossed the plate in the first inning, as a Gerry Spessard bases-loaded single gave Maryland the early 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Nick Jowers increased his RBI total to six as his walk scored AJ Casario from third base, increasing the early advantage to 2-0. Steve Braun drove in two more Terrapins as a throwing error by the second baseman increased the Maryland lead to 4-0.

Joe Palumbo added to the lead with an RBI single in the inning, upping the advantage to 5-0. That hit forced Golden Knights starter Mitch Herold out of the game, as he finished his day with five runs (two earned), four walks and two hits in less than one inning of work in taking the loss.

Spessard scored the Terps' sixth run of the game as he and Wink Nolan executed a double steal to perfection, with the sophomore first baseman crossing the plate from third while Nolan took second base.

Catcher Chad Durakis added to his impressive RBI total this weekend when he blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence to give Maryland a 8-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, scoring Mike Murphy who had taken second base on the Knights' second error of the day. The Terps improve to 4-0 when notching at least one home run in a game this season.

UCF responded in the bottom half of the inning as Kiko Vasquez's home run to right field closed the gap to 8-1, spoiling Moorer's opportunity for a second-straight scoreless outing.

In the sixth inning, Melvin sent a ball deep to the right field warning track and right fielder Ryan Richardson committed UCF's fourth error on the day, scoring Palumbo from third base to give Maryland a 9-2 lead. The run represented the 14th unearned run allowed by the Golden Knights on the weekend.

Vazquez added another run to the UCF total when his RBI single in the bottom of the eighth narrowed the Maryland lead to 9-3. However, reliever Brad Taylor recovered and fanned three straight batters to end the inning with no further damage done. Taylor was lifted in the ninth after loading the bases, and was replaced by junior Brett Cecil, who notched a strikeout against his first batter. However, Cecil suffered a second tough outing in the 2007 season when Vasquez cleared the bases with a grand slam to move the Knights within two runs, 9-7.

Cecil quickly recovered and struck out Ryan Williams to give the Terps their fourth straight victory.

Maryland will look for their first series sweep of the 2007 campaign when they face off against the Knights tomorrow. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m., with ACC Pitcher of the Week Kevin Biringer taking the mound for the Terps, while UCF will counter with Jaager Good.