April 22, 2009

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Senior Jensen Pupa went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs and the Terrapins' bullpen shut out 27th-ranked George Mason for the final five innings as the University of Maryland baseball team won it s second game against a ranked opponent this season, defeating the Patriots, 9-6, Wednesday evening at Shipley Field.

The win was Maryland's third straight, improving the Terps' record to 20-21. George Mason fell to 31-8.

George Mason got off to a good start, scoring four runs with two outs in the top of the first inning, despite hitting only two balls out of the infield.

With two outs and a runner on first base, Patriots first baseman Justin Bour hit what appeared to be a routine infield pop-up. However, the slick conditions forced both third baseman Mike Murphy and shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez to slip and watch the ball fall safely into fair territory down the third-base line.

A third infield single loaded the bases for designated hitter Mark Hill. Hill took advantage of his team's lucky breaks and hit Brett Harman's 1-1 pitch over the left-center field wall for a grand slam and a 4-0 Patriots lead.

Although losing 4-0 before having a chance to swing the bat, the Terps did not panic and, instead, answered with some first-inning fireworks of their own.

Pupa led off with a double to center field and catcher Will Greenberg followed with a run-scoring single up the middle to get the Terps on the board quickly. Murphy then doubled down the right-field line to put runners at second and third with still no outs.

With two runners in scoring position, cleanup hitter A.J. Casario drove in both runners, as well as himself, blasting Kevin Lingerman's first pitch over the right-center field wall to tie the game at 4. It was Casario's eighth home run of the season, a new career high.

The Terps weren't done, though. David Poutier singled to center field and Gerry Spessard walked to force Lingerman from the game without recording an out.

Ryan Brecko came in for Lingerman and immediately allowed an RBI single to first baseman Curtis Lazar and Pupa added a sacrifice fly to put the Terps up 6-4 after only one inning.

The pace of the game slowed down considerably after the first inning as both bullpens were effective. The Patriots tied the game with single runs in the third and fourth innings. However, the Patriots had a chance to do more in the fourth, loading the bases with no outs. Maryland reliever Eric Potter minimized the damage, limiting the Patriots to just a sacrifice fly.

Sophomore pitcher Blair Delean retired all seven batters he faced and got Maryland into the bottom of the sixth inning with the score still tied at 6.

Maryland broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning, getting a two-out RBI single from Pupa to score pinch runner Logan Welch from second.

The Terps' bullpen kept the score at 7-6 going into the bottom of the eighth.

With two outs and no one on base, the Terps rallied and scored some critical insurance runs off George Mason closer Jordan Flasher. Center fielder Dan Benick crushed a solo home run over the scoreboard in left field and Pupa later added an RBI single to score Rodriguez, who singled and reached third on a pair of wild pitches.

Dan Gentzler then retired the side in order in the ninth for his third save of the season. Delean earned his first career victory. The loss went to Ben Reade.

The Terps' previous victory against a ranked team this season came at No. 10 Virginia.

Maryland is at No. 3 North Carolina for a three-game series this weekend, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday.

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