April 20, 2007

The Maryland Terrapins look to gain ground in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings this weekend when they visit Duke for a three-game series. Game times are 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday. All three can be heard live on WMUC Sports.

• Last weekend, the Terps took one from the Boston College Eagles, winning 7-4 in the second game of a doubleheader Friday. BC took the first and third games, 5-3 and 18-6.
• In midweek action, Maryland picked up a pair of non-conference wins in impressive fashion, defeating UMBC 11-6 and UMES 16-2.
• Maryland is looking for its third conference series win of the season, as the Terps have taken two games apiece from NC State and Clemson.
• Outfielder Nick Jowers leads the team with a .350 batting average, while third baseman Mike Murphy and shortstop Dan Melvin are tied for the team lead in home runs with five.
• The Terrapins currently sit in fifth place in the ACC Atlantic Division, with a slim one-game lead over Boston College. Overall, the Terps have the ninth-best conference record.

SERIES HISTORY

Maryland leads the all-time series, 76-67-1 (.531). Last year, the Terps took two of three games in Durham, dropping the opener 4-2 before rallying for 5-3 and 9-8 wins. The Terps have earned series wins in three of the last four meetings between the two teams.

SCOUTING THE BLUE DEVILS

Duke enters the weekend with a 23-16 record, 4-14 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The top Blue Devil hitter is Nate Freiman, who is batting .352 with 14 doubles, three home runs and 33 runs batted in. On the mound, Maryland will face off against Alex Hassan (2-3, 3.43 ERA), Tony Bajoczky (7-2, 2.94 ERA), and Jonathan Anderson (2-1, 2.05 ERA).

TURTLE POWER

Maryland has had no problems hitting the long ball thus far in 2007, as the Terps have blasted 25 home runs in 35 games. Sophomore Mike Murphy and senior Dan Melvin lead the team with five home runs. The Terps are 13-5 this season in games they have hit at least one round-tripper. In the second game of the year, Melvin blasted a 12th inning solo shot to give the Terps a 1-0 win over Gardner-Webb. In the Saturday win at NC State, senior Jon Greenwich pinch hit a blast to deep left field to put the Terps ahead, 3-2, in the top of the ninth. Against VCU, Spessard hit his first career grand slam as part of Maryland's 17-2 victory. In the loss at Towson, Melvin homered twice, including a three-run shot in the top of the seventh to break open the game. He hit the other one in the top of the 13th.

TERPS HONORING VIRGINIA TECH

After the tragic events that unfolded at Virginia Tech this past Monday, the Maryland baseball team will pay tribute to its fellow ACC member institution by wearing maroon-and-orange ribbons on their caps and helmets this weekend. Maryland, in conjunction with the Atlantic Coast Conference office and member institutions, is showing support for friends and family of Virginia Tech who were victimized Monday by the deaths of more than 30 students and faculty on the Blacksburg campus. The idea to wear the ribbons with the Virginia Tech school colors was generated through the efforts of the ACC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the SAAC at each institution.