March 23, 2007
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Junior catcher Chad Durakis belted a double to right-center field to score senior Dan Melvin in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Maryland baseball team upended No. 6 Clemson Friday evening, 4-3, at Shipley Field.
Maryland (15-7, 4-3 ACC), outlasted the Tigers' three-run ninth to hand Clemson (14-6, 3-1) its first conference loss of the year on the performance by senior southpaw Casey Baron, who set a new career best with seven strikeouts in eight innings. Tigers reliever Matt Zoltak was charged with the loss after issuing Melvin a leadoff walk in the ninth.
After Melvin was sacrifice bunted to second base by sophomore first baseman Gerry Spessard, Durakis took a 2-2 fastball deep to the right-center gap to bring home Melvin for the victory.
The Terps held the Clemson offense in check through eight innings of work on the strength of Baron's outing. The Silver Spring, Md., native scattered just four hits on the day while striking out seven batters.
Maryland's offense quickly took shape as the Terps loaded the bases in each of the first three innings, but the first run of the day did not come until the second. Outfielder Dan Benick scored on a Joe Palumbo base hit to give the Terps a 1-0 advantage.
In the third inning, the Terrapins added two more with a bases-loaded walk issued to Palumbo and a base hit by sophomore Mike Murphy. Murphy's single evaded Tigers starter P.J. Zocchi's grasp as Maryland took a 3-0 lead.
Neither team scored again until Clemson mounted a rally in the top of the ninth inning after Cecil entered the game seeking his seventh save of the year. Four singles and a sacrifice bunt allowed the Tigers to tie the game at 3-3. However, Cecil was able to recover to issue two straight strikeouts to retire the side.
The Terrapins' ninth-inning victory marks their first victory over Clemson in four seasons, and improves their record this season to 15-1 when leading or tied after the seventh inning.
Maryland will try for the series victory tomorrow afternoon when it plays host to Clemson for a 1 p.m. contest. Junior Ryan Moorer will have the call for the Terps, while the Tigers will send Ryan Hinson to the mound.
