March 25, 2008
Box Score
FAIRFAX, Va. -
The University of Maryland baseball team took advantage of a crucial fielding error and got a clutch, game-tying single from pinch hitter Dan Benick in a 6-4, come-from-behind victory Tuesday afternoon at George Mason.
After falling behind 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Terps answered with three in the top of the seventh to re-gain the advantage.
The Terps (12-11) drew first blood, pushing across a pair of runs in the top of the third against Patriots starting pitcher Ryan Brecko. Second baseman Steve Braun (Granada Hills, Calif./Pierce CC) led off with a single and moved to second two batters later when Nick Jowers (Beltsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic) was hit by a pitch.
Joe Palumbo (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) scored Braun with an RBI single to right and Jowers scored a batter later on a groundout by designated hitter Jensen Pupa (Germantown, Md./Northwest).
The Patriots (9-12) tied the score at 2-2 with single runs in the third and fourth innings. The Patriots took advantage of Maryland fielding miscues on both runs. Right fielder AJ Casario (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) misjudged a fly ball off the bat of Josh Steinberg in the third, resulting in an RBI triple. The Patriots scored an unearned run in the fourth when, on an attempted stolen base by Spencer Wiggins, catcher Chad Durakis (Cockeysville, Md./St. Pauls) hit pitcher Brett Jones (Dunkirk, Md./Southern) on the throw down to second, allowing Wiggins to reach third and score on a ground out a batter later.
George Mason took its first lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the sixth. With runners at the corners and one out, Wiggins attempted a squeeze bunt. Wigging laid the bunt down perfectly down the third-base line, scoring Ryan Uphouse and reaching first on a single. The Patriots added another run off Terps pitcher Matt Quinn (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) in the inning on an RBI double by Chris Henderson, but a potential fifth run was cut off at the plate on the play on a perfect relay from left fielder Gerry Spessard (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg) to Palumbo to Durakis to nail Wiggins at the plate.
The Terps took advantage of a crucial error by Patriots shortstop Brent Weiss in the top of the seventh inning. With a man on first and no outs, Braun hit a potential double-play ball to short. Weiss slightly bobbled the ball in his glove and unleashed a wild throw to second base, advancing the runners to second and third, respectively. Head coach Terry Rupp then pinch hit Dan Benick (Glen Lyon, Pa./Nanticoke) for Casario against left-handed pitcher Darren McLean.
Benick came through, grounding a single through the middle, knotting the game at 4-4. Pupa gave the Terps the lead two batters later with a two-out single to left, plating Benick. All three runs were unearned.
First baseman Will Greenberg (Gaithersburg, Md./Washington College) added an insurance run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly. The Terps played small ball in the inning, beginning with an infield single by Murphy a bunt single by Spessard and a sacrifice bunt by Durakis preceding Greenberg's at bat.
Senior Brad Taylor (Silver Spring, Md./Good Counsel) earned his first save of the season, getting Aaron Tenney for the final out with a man on first and two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Jowers made a tremendous diving catch on the play to seal the win, diving head-first coming in from center field toward second base.
Quinn earned the victory to move to 3-1 on the season, tying the team lead in wins, going a season-high 4 2/3 innings. McLean took the loss for the Patriots.
Brett Tidball (Bethesda, Md./Georgetown Prep) started on the mound for the Terps and allowed one earned run in 2 2/3 innings.
Maryland plays host to UMBC at 7 p.m. Wednesday night.
-TERPS-
