Baseball Plays Host to Towson Tuesday
4/6/2009 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 6, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland baseball team plays host to in-state rival Towson at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Terrapins' only midweek contest of the week.
Tuesday's game marks the first meeting between the Terps and Tigers this season, as a scheduled game at Towson on March 3 was canceled due to snow.
Maryland comes into the game with a 14-17 record. The Terps lost two of three games at 10th-ranked Virginia last weekend, winning Saturday's game, 8-7, thanks to an eighth-inning grand slam by senior Dan Benick.
Junior outfielder A.J. Casario leads the Terps offensively. Casario is the team leader, or is tied for the lead, in batting average (.348), slugging percentage (.580), on-base percentage (.439), runs (29), hits (39), doubles (8) and home runs (6).
The Tigers are 14-13 and have not played a game since March 29. The last time Towson took the field, it took two of three games at home from preseason-Colonial Athletic Association favorite James Madison.
Towson is hitting .326 as a team with 47 home runs in 27 games. Gary Helmick is the leading hitter for the Tigers, batting an impressive .451 on .841 slugging. Helmick also leads the team with eight homers. Four Towson players are hitting over .350 and six players have five or more home runs.
As prolific as the Tigers are offensively, the pitching staff has struggled thus far. Pitching to a team ERA of 7.61, Towson only has one pitcher with an ERA under 5.00.
Maryland owns the lead in the all-time series, 34-27-2. However, Towson won two of three games last season.
Live radio coverage of Tuesday's game will be available free on the Internet at WMUCSports.com.
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