April 18, 2007
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Sophomore outfielder Dan Benick completed a perfect 5-for-5 day at the plate to help power the Maryland baseball team to a 16-2 non-conference victory against Maryland-Eastern Shore Wednesday evening at Shipley Field. The Terrapins (22-18) won their second game in as many days as they completely shut down the Hawks (7-31) in the first of two games pitting the teams against each other this season.
Junior starter Kevin Biringer (3-7) picked up the win in a predetermined split, pitching two innings of one-hit baseball. For the Hawks, starter Tyler Winch (0-5) was saddled with the loss after allowing the first 11 Terrapin runs in five innings of work.
Every starting position player reached base for the Terrapins, as Benick led the charge with his five base hits, including an RBI. Other standouts included senior Dan Melvin and sophomore Mike Murphy, who each notched three RBIs on two hits. Four other Terps had multi-hit games, as senior Jon Greenwich and juniors Chad Durakis, Steve Braun, and Joe Palumbo all recorded a pair of hits.
Maryland jumped out to an early six-run lead, helped by a five-run second inning. The Terrapins scored 10 unanswered runs after allowing UMES to score two, with an eight-run outburst in the sixth.
After Biringer exited the game, freshman Brett Curll allowed the lone Hawks runs of the day in the third and fourth innings. The first run of the day was unearned against the right-hander, as a throwing error by Murphy allowed Josh Dean to score in the third. In the fourth, James Walls drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the second UMES run.
From there, the Hawks could find no answer for Terrapin pitching, as four relievers combined for six innings of one-hit play, while striking out 10 batters. Freshman Nick Pearce highlighted the bullpen's work, as he threw three hitless innings, striking out four.
The Terps reached double digits in runs and hits for the second game in a row, and the ninth time this season. With 20 hits tonight, Maryland marked its second-highest hit total of the year, after the 25-hit performance against Coppin State on March 14 which tied a school record.
Maryland begins a seven-game road swing this weekend as the Terps travel to Durham, N.C., for a three-game set at Duke. First pitch Friday from Jack Coombs Field is set for 7 p.m., with games Saturday and Sunday scheduled for 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. All three can be heard live on WMUC Sports.
