April 1, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Nick Jowers belted a pair of home runs and drove in four runs as University of Maryland head coach Terry Rupp earned career victory number 400 as the Terrapins defeated Navy, 13-6, on Monday night in a non-conference baseball game played at Shipley Field.

Maryland improved to 15-13 with the victory, which was the Terrapins' eighth straight in non-conference matchups. The Midshipmen fell to 17-10 overall despite touching up five Maryland pitchers for 16 hits while stranding 16 runners on base.

The win was the 400th in the 13-year career for Rupp, who has been at Maryland for eight seasons following five years at the University of Tampa.

Steve Braun finished 3-for-4 for the Terrapins, including a home run, and joined Jowers with three runs scored. Matt Quinn (4-1), the second Maryland pitcher, earned the victory after scattering six hits and a walk while allowing two earned runs in 2-2/3 innings.

Thomas Hamilton led the Navy offense with two doubles and a single, driving in a pair of runs. Mitch Harris also had three hits for the Midshipmen, who got two hits each from Steven Soares, Mike Guadagnini and Renaldo Hollins.

Trailing 4-0 in the third inning, Maryland rallied for five runs against starter Kyle Millerd. Braun opened the rally with a homer to left.

The Midshipmen tied the game 5-5 in the top of the fourth, but Jowers lined a three-run homer to left center in the bottom of the inning off reliever Sam Long (0-1) to put Maryland ahead to stay. Jowers added a solo shot to nearly the same spot in the sixth.

Adam Kolarek, Brad Taylor and Dan Gentzler gave up only one run over the final five innings as the Maryland bullpen was strong. Meanwhile, the Terps scored at least one run in every inning between the third and eighth.

Maryland ends a six-game homestand on Wednesday against George Mason at 7 p.m.

Navy (17-10)        013 100 100 -  6 16 4
Maryland (15-13)    005 311 12x - 13  9 3