Baseball Opens Home Schedule With Weekend Series Against George Washington
2/22/2007 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 22, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland Terrapins open their 2007 home schedule when they host the George Washington Colonials for a three-game series at Shipley Field. Game times are set for 3 p.m. Friday, and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Please note: Due to the threat of inclement weather during the weekend, game dates and times are subject to change. Please check umterps.com for the latest updates.
• Maryland took two of three games at UCF, winning the first two games in impressive fashion, 16-4 and 9-7, before falling 4-3 in the series finale. In the first weekend of the season, the Terps won two games at the Winthrop Challenge
• Junior right-hander Kevin Biringer earned ACC Pitcher of the Week honors on February 12 after his five-inning, one-hit performance for the win against Creighton. Biringer retired the first nine batters he faced and finished the day with five strikeouts.
• Junior reliever Brett Cecil set a new school record with his 16th career save on Feb. 17 in the Terps' 12-inning win over Creighton, 1-0. Cecil, who set the record for a single season in 2006 with 13 saves, was named to the preseason Clemens Award watch list and All-America second team by Baseball America.
• Maryland is 5-1 under head coach Terry Rupp in home openers. The lone loss came in 2001, Rupp's first year at the helm of Terps baseball, as Georgetown defeated Maryland, 8-7, on March 7.
• The Terps 4-1 start, prior to Sunday's 4-3 loss at UCF, matched the best start since the 1987 season, when they opened 5-1. Maryland's all-time best season start came in 1967, when the team began the year 12-1.
SERIES HISTORY
Maryland leads the all-time series 43-27-4 (.608).
• In the two teams' last meeting, the Terps put up 12 runs while the pitching staff held George Washington scoreless for the first seven innings to give Maryland a 12-3 victory in College Park. Maryland out-hit the Colonials 15-6, led by Steve Braun and Matt Maropis, who were each 3-for-4 at the plate.
• The last Colonials victory came on Feb. 16, 2003, when they defeated the Terps, 11-3, at the Stetson News-Journal First Pitch tournament in DeLand, Fla. Maryland's last loss to George Washington at Shipley Field came on May 9, 2000, a 4-2 contest.
SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
George Washington makes the short trip to College Park seeking its first win of the season, as it has opened the 2007 campaign with three losses.
• The Colonials have had two games cancelled due to weather: the season opener at Georgetown and a mid-week contest at James Madison.
• Curtis Eward leads the Colonials offense, as the freshman is 5-for-10 at the plate. On the mound, Ryan Lapointe is the top relief pitcher, as he was perfect in his lone appearance, striking out one batter in one inning of work.
START ME UP
The Terps' starting pitching has been very effective in all six games this season, as every starter has gone at least five innings. In the first weekend of the season, all three starters combined for a total of nine hits, as the Terps won two of three at the Winthrop Challenge.
• Senior Casey Baron and junior Ryan Moorer earned their first wins of the season against UCF on Friday and Saturday after solid outing the week before. Baron pitched six innings, allowing four runs, while Moorer tossed five innings and tied a career high with six strikeouts.
• Junior Kevin Biringer earned ACC Pitcher of the Week honors for his five-inning, one hit performance in the Feb. 18 win over Creighton. He did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, when a leadoff single gave the Bluejays their lone baserunner with Biringer on the mound. In his outing, he notched five strikeouts while issuing no walks.
JOWERS' POWERS
Junior outfielder Nick Jowers showed off his offensive talents at the Winthrop Challenge, as he finished the weekend 4-for-8, with five RBIs.
• On Feb. 18, he led the Terps to victory over Creighton with his four RBIs, including a RBI sacrifice fly and his sixth career home run, a two-run shot in the fourth inning.
• Jowers leads the Terrapins in RBIs (six), walks (six), stolen bases (three), and is one of five players to hit a home run this season.
