March 1, 2008
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The University of Maryland baseball team swept its Saturday doubleheader with the Hofstra Pride, moving its record to 4-3, winning both games in come-from-behind fashion Saturday afternoon at cold and windy Shipley Field.
After getting ahead 2-0 in the first game, Hofstra scored seven unanswered runs, taking a four-run lead, 7-3, into the bottom of the seventh inning. Mike Murphy (Silver Spring, Md./Georgetown Prep) led off the seventh with a double down the left-field line. After a walk and strikeout, Hofstra (0-3) relief pitcher Rob DiFalco induced a potential rally-killing double-play ball off the bat of Will Greenberg (Gaithersburg, Md./Washington College). However, second baseman Chris Mentrasti had the ball go through his legs, allowing Murphy to score. The Terps got two more runs in the inning on a bases-loaded hit by pitch by Steve Braun (Granada Hills, Calif./Pierce CC) and a bases-loaded walk by Jensen Pupa (Germantown, Md./Northwest).
Down 7-6 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Terps' bats exploded. Murphy was hit by a pitch leading off the inning. Bill Rice (Washington Township, N.J./Washington Township) and AJ Casario (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) followed with back-to-back singles to plate Murphy and tie the game. Joe Palumbo (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) put the Terps up 9-7 two batters later with a two-run single. Palumbo was picked off to empty the bases with two outs, but the Terps were far from done.
Braun and Pupa singled to keep the inning alive for catcher Chad Durakis (Cockeysville, Md./St. Pauls). Durakis promptly crushed a three-run homer to dead-center field off Drew Luedtke to give the Terps a comfortable five-run cushion. Following Durakis' blast, Gerry Spessard (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg) smacked a solo shot to right. Not to be outdone, Murphy followed Spessard with a solo home run of his own, good for a 14-7 lead.
It was the first time Maryland players have hit back-to-back home runs since Dan Melvin and Brian Jarosinski did so against Towson March 9, 2004. It is believed to be the first time in program history that three players have homered consecutively.
Brett Jones (Dunkirk, Md./Southern) picked up the win in relief. Durakis tied a career high with four hits and Braun and Murphy each had three hits. Durakis' four hits marked the first time a Terp has had four or more hits in a game since Dan Benick (Glen Lyon, Pa./Nanticoke) had five against UMES last season.
The second game began as a pitchers duel with Hofstra's Rob Kumbatovic out-dueling Maryland starter Kevin Biringer (Albuquerque, N.M./Bradley University) through 5 ½ innings. The Pride led 3-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth, but, like earlier in the day, Maryland responded with a big inning.
Two Hofstra miscues opened the door for a comeback when first baseman Anthony Sarno dropped a throw from second base leading off the inning, putting Rice on first. Durakis then fouled a pitch straight up behind the plate, but catcher Tom Caltabiano dropped it, giving Durakis new life. Durakis made the Pride pay, sneaking a double down the third-base line, plating Rice. After a Spessard single, Durakis scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Freshman Curtis Lazar (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) gave Maryland its first lead of the game, 4-3, on a sacrifice fly to center field. The Terps later scored runs on a passed ball, bases-loaded walk and fielding error to go up 7-3. Durakis then hit his second double of the inning, narrowly missing a home run to left field, but plating two more runs, nonetheless. A Spessard RBI single and a Murphy sacrifice fly accounted for the rest of the scoring in the inning. All said, the Terps scored 10 runs on four hits and three errors in 54 minutes. All 10 runs were unearned and it was the first time the Terps scored 10 or more runs in an inning since scoring 12 against UMES March 5, 2002. At one point, the Terps unloaded the bases and re-loaded them again without the benefit of a hit.
Maryland's final two runs came on RBI singles from Rice and Braun.
Freshman Eric Potter earned the win in relief, pitching 2 1/3 shutout innings.
Durakis went 7-for-9 in the doubleheader with two walks. Braun extended his hitting streak to eight games, going back to the final game of last season.
The Terps were hit by six pitches on the day, moving their total to 11 in only one week of play.
The Terps will go for the series sweep at 1 p.m. tomorrow. Pupa will toe the rubber for the Terps and face lefty Nick Panzarella. The Terps' last series sweep came last February against George Washington, a three-game sweep. Maryland has never swept a four-game series.
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