March 27, 2007
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Two days after being shut out for the first time this season, the Maryland Terrapins used a nine-run fifth inning to fuel a 15-3 non-conference victory at Shipley Field Wednesday against the College of William and Mary. The Terps (17-8) broke open a tied game in the fifth to earn their third straight non-conference victory. Meanwhile, the Tribe (15-13) fell in the two teams' first meeting in four seasons.
Junior left-hander Brett Tidball (3-0) picked up the win after starting and pitching five solid innings, with no earned runs on two hits. Tribe starter Tyler Truxell (3-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing the Terps' first seven runs.
W&M scored first in the top of the second, as a fielding error by third baseman Mike Murphy let right fielder Robbie Nickle cross the plate. Murphy quickly avenged his mistake, though, as he pounced on a Truxell pitch in the bottom of the third inning, sending it deep beyond the center field wall to even the score at 1-1. The home run was Murphy's team-leading fourth of the season.
A scoreless fourth inning gave way to the Terps' offensive explosion in the fifth. Three straight singles opened the inning, ending with junior left fielder Joe Palumbo's base hit on a tricky fake bunt play scoring leadoff man Dan Benick. Palumbo, who finished his day 4-for-5 with three RBIs, had shown bunt originally, but lined a frozen rope past third baseman Greg Sexton as the Tribe defense was caught off guard.
Three batters later, senior Dan Melvin notched an RBI on his sacrifice fly, scoring Palumbo. The next batter, sophomore Gerry Spessard was issued a walk. With two outs on the board, junior catcher Chad Durakis lined a bases-clearing double into center field to give the Terps a 6-1 lead. One play later, sophomore Wink Nolan hit his third career triple to score another run. An RBI double by sophomore Dan Benick and a two-RBI double by Palumbo rounded out the Maryland scoring in the inning.
The Tribe scored two runs in the sixth inning on a two-RBI fielding error by second baseman Steve Braun to close the gap to 10-3, but would get no closer as Maryland added five unanswered runs, with pinch hitter Nick Jowers's single to center field plating Nolan and outfielder Brandon Mise completing the scoring.
With today's game, Maryland has now outscored its last three non-ACC opponents by a 59-5 margin.
Maryland will face off against Coppin State tomorrow afternoon at Shipley Field, two weeks after the Terps' 27-0 shutout of the Eagles. The game is free and first pitch is set for 5 p.m.
