April 25, 2008
Box Score
DURHAM, N.C. -
Mike Murphy hit two home runs and drove in a career-high four runs and Steve Braun had three hits and a pair of clutch two-out RBI singles to lead the University of Maryland baseball team to a crucial 12-8 victory at Duke Friday night.
Coupled with Wake Forest's loss at Georgia Tech Friday night, the Terps (26-19, 8-14) temporarily moved into the key eighth spot in the ACC standings, putting them in control of their ACC Tournament destiny.
Maryland jumped on Duke (29-14-1, 6-14-1) from the get-go. Braun (Granada Hills, Calif./Pierce CC) hit Andrew Wolcott's second pitch of the game into the right-center field gap and reached third base for a leadoff triple. Two batters later, designated hitter Jensen Pupa (Germantown, Md./Northwest) gave the Terps the lead with an RBI single to center field.
Murphy (Silver Spring, Md./Georgetown Prep) made it 3-0 Maryland immediately, following Pupa's single with a first-pitch home run to dead center field, his team-leading 11th of the season.
The three-run lead did not last long, however, as the Blue Devils scored three of their own in the bottom of the inning. Terps starter Scott Swinson (Ellicott City, Md./George Washington University) struggled with his control, hitting a batter and walking in a run.
Murphy gave the Terps the lead again in the top of the third, launching another home run off Wolcott, an absolute no-doubter to left field, plating two runs for a 5-3 Maryland advantage.
The Blue Devils inched closer in the bottom of the fourth, scoring one run on an Alex Hassan two-out RBI double.
Duke took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on a two-run home run by second baseman Gabriel Saade, putting the Devils up 6-5. Jake Lemmerman drove in another run with a two-out double in the inning.
Trailing for the first time in the game, the Terps fought back in the top of the sixth inning and re-took control of the game.
With one out and runners on the corners, left fielder Gerry Spessard (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg) cut the deficit to one with an RBI single to center field off relief pitcher Dennis O'Grady. After Joe Palumbo (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) fouled out with the bases loaded and one out, Braun came through with a clutch two-out single off Michael Ness, scoring two runs and putting the Terps back ahead at 8-7.
Sophomore AJ Casario (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) made it 9-7 Terps with an RBI double down the third-base line.
The Terps had a chance to break the game wide open with the bases loaded and Murphy at the plate, but Murphy struck out swinging to end the inning.
Duke scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of a Palumbo fielding error.
Palumbo successfully atoned for his fielding mistake in the top of the seventh with an RBI fielder's choice to make it 10-8 Maryland. Braun followed Palumbo with his second clutch two-out hit of the game, driving in a run with a bloop single to left to make it 11-8 Maryland.
Palumbo added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning, putting the Terps up by four, 12-8, heading into the bottom half of the inning.
Senior Brad Taylor pitched four shutout innings of relief, including working out of a two-on-no-out jam in the bottom of the seventh inning with a double play and a strikeout. Taylor earned his fourth save of the season for his efforts.
Despite allowing six earned runs in five innings, Swinson picked up the victory, improving to 4-3 on the season. Dennis O'Grady took the loss for Duke, falling to 3-2 on the year.
Murphy's four RBIs tied a career high. Spessard tied a career high with three hits. Braun also tied a career high and set a season high with four hits.
Wolcott had only given up one home run heading into Friday night's game before allowing two to Murphy. The seven runs allowed by Wolcott were the most he has allowed in a game this season.
The Terps and Blue Devils play game No. 2 of the series at 1 p.m. Saturday.
-TERPS-
