March 14, 2008
Box Score
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -
Backed by a brilliant performance by starting pitcher Scott Swinson, the Maryland baseball team earned its first ACC victory of the season, 8-2, at Wake Forest Friday afternoon.
Swinson (Ellicott City, Md./George Washington University) pitched the first complete game by a Maryland starter since Ben Pfinsgraff did it against UMBC April 7, 2004. In nine innings, Swinson allowed one earned run
The Terps (8-7, 1-3) scored the first run of the game on a two-out, bloop single to center field off the bat of senior catcher Chad Durakis (Cockeysville, Md./St. Pauls).
Maryland increased its lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth on a solo home run to left field from third baseman Mike Murphy (Silver Spring, Md./Georgetown Prep), a no-doubter into the trees behind the left-field wall at Wake's Hooks Stadium.
The Terps turned a close game into a laugher in the sixth and seventh innings.
Maryland pushed four runs across in the sixth. Murphy drove in a run with a double to right-center field. Nick Jowers (Beltsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic) drove in another with a ground-out and second baseman Joe Palumbo (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) delivered a clutch, two-out single to left field, scoring AJ Casario (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) and Will Greenberg (Gaithersburg, Md./Washington College).
Already up 6-0, Murphy extended the lead further in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs and two runners on base, Murphy nearly went deep again, crushing a foul ball down the left-field line. However, Murphy came back a couple pitches later with a two-run triple down the same left-field line, eluding a diving Brett Linnenjokl, who was hurt on the play and replaced. Gerry Spessard (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg) and Jensen Pupa (Germantown, Md./Northwest) scored on the play.
Murphy nearly hit for the cycle in the game, missing out on only a single. However, Murphy would have had the cycle if not for a brilliant defensive play by Wake shortstop Andy Goff in the second inning, robbing Murphy of a sure single.
Murphy tied his career high with three hits, the eighth time he has done that in his career.
Greenberg had his third consecutive two-hit game for Maryland.
Wake Forest's Preseason All-American Allan Dykstra hit his sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the seventh.
Ben Hunter took the loss for Wake Forest, allowing five runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
The Terps and Demon Deacons play at 1 p.m. tomorrow. WMUCSports.com will have the radio feed and video of the game will be shown on ACCSelect.
-TERPS-
