March 9, 2008

Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Senior Chad Durakis (Cockeysville, Md./St. Pauls) had three hits and three RBIs, including his third home run of the season against the eighth-ranked Florida State Seminoles Sunday afternoon, but the Terps lost by a run, 9-8, in the final game of the three-game series.

Durakis got the Terps (5-7, 0-3) started in the top of the first inning with a two-out, two-run homer off Florida State starter Ryan Strauss.

After falling behind 2-1 in the bottom of the inning, sophomore AJ Casario (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) gave Maryland a 3-2 lead with a two-run homer off Strauss.

The Terps again found themselves down by a run, 4-3, entering the top of the third when starting pitcher Jensen Pupa (Germantown, Md./Northwest) helped his own cause, slugging a two-run homer to put the Terps up 5-4.

Durakis added an RBI single in the fifth to increase the lead to 6-4, but the Seminoles (12-0, 3-0) scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to go up 8-6.

The Terps again fought back, scoring two unearned runs in the top of the seventh, including another Durakis RBI single, to knot the game at 8-8.

Maryland had a chance to take the lead in the top of the ninth inning, putting runners on the corners with only one out, but Florida State pitcher Jimmy Marshall worked out of the jam, inducing a double-play ball off the bat of Gerry Spessard (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg) to end the inning.

The Seminoles took the victory in the ninth on a one-out, bases-loaded single by Stuart Tapley off Terps closer Brad Taylor (Silver Spring, Md./Good Counsel).

Taylor took the loss for the Terps while Marshall earned the win for Florida State.

Maryland shortstop and leadoff hitter Steve Braun (Granada Hills, Calif./Pierce CC) reached base four times, notching two hits and earning two walks. Braun scored three runs.

Maryland plays host to Delaware for a two-game midweek series at Shipley Field at 7 p.m. Tuesday and 3 p.m. Wednesday.

-TERPS-