April 18, 2008
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Sophomore AJ Casario laced a two-run double to left-center field to break a 5-5 tie with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning and the bullpen made it stand in the ninth as the University of Maryland baseball team came from behind to defeat No. 21 Georgia Tech, 7-5, Friday night at Shipley Field.
It was Casario's second straight three-hit game. Casario (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) has now raised his average over 100 points the last two weeks.
The Terps (23-17, 6-13 ACC) trailed 5-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning after Georgia Tech's Brad Feltes hit a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the inning to break a 3-3 tie.
Jensen Pupa (Germantown, Md./Northwest) led off the eighth with a single up the middle and chased starting pitcher David Duncan.
Andrew Robinson relieved Duncan. Mike Murphy (Silver Spring, Md./Georgetown Prep) greeted Duncan with a sharp ground ball to the left side that Feltes could not handle at third. The error put runners at first and second with no outs.
After a strikeout, junior Will Greenberg (Gaithersburg, Md./Washington College) grounded a single into right field, scoring Pinch runner Mike Rozak (Darnestown, Md./St. John's) to make it a one-run game, 5-4.
Center fielder Nick Jowers (Beltsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic) tied the score with his third hit of the game, an RBI single to right-center field, plating Murphy.
With two outs and runners at second and third, Casario delivered the big blow. The Yellow Jackets (27-11, 9-10 ACC) brought in Brad Rulon to face Casario. Casario quickly fell behind 0-2, but worked the count even at 2-2. Rulon threw a fastball high and outside and Casario stayed with it and took it to the opposite field, hitting it off the netting of the wall in left-center, scoring Jowers and Greenberg with the sixth and seventh runs.
Dan Gentzler (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) and Brett Tidball (Bethesda, Md./Georgetown Prep) combined to retire the side in order in the top of the ninth as Tidball recorded his second save of the season.
It was Maryland's third win this season when trailing after seven innings.
The Terps scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the second inning to go up 3-0. Jowers and Dan Benick (Glen Lyon, Pa./Nanticoke) hit back-to-back solo home runs and Joe Palumbo (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) added an RBI single. It was Benick's first homer of the season and the third time this year the Terps have gone back-to-back.
The Yellow Jackets scored two runs in the top of the fourth and tied it in the sixth on a solo home run by Luke Murton.
Scott Swinson (Ellicott City, Md./George Washington University) started on the mound for the Terps and allowed five runs on nine hits in 7 2/3 innings with a season-high eight strikeouts.
Gentzler earned his first-career win, striking out the only two batters he faced. Robinson took the loss for the Yellow Jackets to fall to 2-2 on the year.
It was Maryland's second win against a ranked team this season as they also defeated No. 3 North Carolina March 21.
Video of the game can be seen online at ACCSelect.com.
The two teams play game No. 2 of the series at 4 p.m. tomorrow with Brett Jones (Dunkirk, Md./Southern) pitching for Maryland against Tech's Eddie Burns.
-TERPS-
