Feb. 22, 2009

Box Score

WILMINGTON, N.C. - Mike Moss hit a pair of solo home runs and Ian Schwalenberg struck out a career-high six batters, but the University of Maryland baseball team fell short in the final game of its three-game set at UNC Wilmington, falling 7-4 to the Seahawks Sunday afternoon to drop to 0-3 on the young season.

After falling behind early in the first two games of the series, UNC Wilmington took the early lead Sunday. Cody Stanley hit a one-out fly ball to left field that appeared to be an easy fly-ball out, but the ball got caught in the strong right-to-left wind and carried over the fence for a solo home run against Schwalenberg. The Seahawks added a second run in the inning due to a Schwalenberg throwing error that extended the inning. With two outs and a man on second, Bobby Leeper hit a soft single to right-center to plate Grayson Evans for a 2-0 Wilmington lead.

The Seahawks added a single run in the bottom of the second inning on a double to left field by Cameron Cockman. Left fielder Gerry Spessard misplayed the ball in left, allowing Mike Rooney to score from first base. However, Schwalenberg limited the damage, stranding a runner at third base with one out.

Maryland quickly got the one run back in the top of the third inning as Moss crushed a solo home run to left-center field on Jesse Haney's first offering of the inning. Moss hit his second home run in the top of the eighth.

The Seahawks scored one in the bottom of the fifth, two in the bottom of the seventh and one more in the bottom of the eighth to take a 7-2 lead.

Terps right fielder A.J. Casario hit his first home run of the season in the top of the ninth inning, a two-run shot to left-center field against Stephen Harrold to account for the final score of 7-4.

Despite his career high in strikeouts and only two earned runs allowed, Schwalenberg took the loss for the Terps. Schwalenberg pitched five innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on seven hits with the six strikeouts and no walks.

Haney earned the victory for Wilmington, tossing 7 1/3 innings, allowing only the two Moss home runs and four hits, total.

Moss is the first Maryland player to hit two home runs in a game since Mike Murphy hit two April 25 at Duke last year.

The Terps return to the field at 3 p.m. Tuesday for its home opener against Coppin State. Maryland is then at James Madison Wednesday before hosting Quinnipiac for a three-game weekend series.

-TERPS-