April 9, 2008
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Terps scored seven runs on eight hits in the first inning, including back-to-back home runs from Gerry Spessard and AJ Casario, to cruise to a 12-3 win against the visiting Mount Saint Mary's Mountaineers Wednesday evening.
The victory was the Terps' 20th of the season and 11th straight against non-conference opponents.
Eight of the Terps' nine starters had a first-inning hit off Mountaineers starting pitcher Costa Kapothanasis.
Steve Braun (Granada Hills, Calif./Pierce CC) led things off with a sharp double down the left-field line and scored two batters later on a Jensen Pupa (Germantown, Md./Northwest) RBI single to center. Chad Durakis (Cockeysville, Md./St. Paul's) drove in two runs with a single to left, making it 3-0 Maryland (20-14).
With one out and two men on base, Spessard (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg) wasted no time launching a monstrous three-run homer to right field, doubling the lead to 6-0. Casario (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) followed Spessard with a home run to center field. It was the second time this season the Terps hit back-to-back home runs.
The Mount (4-19) got two runs back in the top of the third when first baseman Josh Vittek hit a two-run homer off Terps starter Ian Schwalenberg (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown).
A Nick Jowers (Beltsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic) two-run double in the bottom of the third made it 9-2 Maryland.
The Mount threatened to make the game close in the top of the fifth, but junior Dan Gentzler (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) thwarted a potentially-huge inning.
With a run already in, Gentzler entered the game with the bases loaded and one out. Gentzler then got No. 5 hitter Ryan Murray to tap a weak ground ball toward the mound. Gentzler fielded the ball, threw home for the force and catcher Mike Moss (Bethesda, Md./Walter Johnson) threw to first to complete the 1-2-3 double play.
Gentzler pitched 1 2/3 innings and all five outs he recorded came off grounders back to the mound.
Dan Benick (Glen Lyon, Pa./Nanticoke) had an RBI single in the sixth and an RBI groundout in the eighth while Casario also drove in a run in the eighth to complete Maryland's scoring on the night.
Casario tied a career high with four hits.
Schwalenberg earned his first win of the season, allowing two runs in three innings with three strikeouts. Kapothanasis was hit with the loss, allowing seven earned runs in one inning of work.
Maryland plays host to Virginia this weekend in a crucial three-game ACC series.
-TERPS-
