March 24, 2010
Box Score | Season Stats (PDF)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Alfredo Rodriguez hit a two-run single that broke a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Maryland Terrapins defeated the UMBC Retrievers 8-5 Wednesday evening.
Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBI, while Matt Marquis, Brandon Padula and Mike Rozak all had two-hit games for the Terps.
Matthew Murakami belted a home run to deep center field in the eighth inning, giving Maryland an insurance run and completing the scoring.
Matt Passauer (1-0) earned the win in relief, going two innings without allowing a run. Dan Gentzler pitched a scoreless ninth, including two strikeouts, to earn his fifth save of the season.
UMBC reliever Ed Bach (1-3) took the loss, giving up four runs on four hits in three innings.
Maryland shut out UMBC over the final six frames after both teams scored at least one run in each of the first three innings.
The Retrievers opened the scoring in the first inning with a pair of two-out hits. Max Himmelstein doubled to center field, and scored on Bryan Russo's double to left.
Maryland evened it in the bottom half by methodically moving Rodriguez into scoring position after he singled through the right side to lead off the inning. Matthew Murakami put down a sacrifice bunt, which allowed Rodriguez to advance to second. Rodriguez then stole third and scored on a bloop-single by Matt Marquis.
The Retrievers took advantage of two Maryland errors in the second inning, scoring three runs on just one hit.
But Maryland answered in the bottom half. Marquis hit an RBI single that scored catcher Zach Fisher, and Rodriguez scored to get Maryland within one run when Himmelstein couldn't handle Padula's sharply hit ball to first base.
UMBC scored one more run in the third, but it would be their last. The Terps tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the third when Rodriguez hit his first two-RBI single of the game.
Maryland made a pair of great defensive plays that prevented UMBC runs. Padula and Marquis both threw out runners at home, ending the fourth and fifth innings, respectively. The two plays kept the game even at 5-5 and allowed the Terps to take the lead in the bottom of the fifth.
The Terps now hit the road for a three-game set with Florida State, with Friday's game scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports Florida and Fox Sports Atlantic, both of which can be found on DirecTV and Dish Network.
