April 14, 2010
Box Score | Season Stats (PDF)
BALTIMORE - Maryland broke the school's single-game stolen bases record that it set earlier this season and scored at least one run in each of the first six innings en route to a 10-7 win over UMBC Wednesday night.
Alfredo Rodriguez went 4-for-5, Jack Cleary and Dan Gentzler had three hits apiece and David Poutier went 2-for-4 to help Maryland complete a season sweep of the Retrievers.
The Terps had already broken the school record for stolen bases in a game when they took eight against Hofstra on March 6. Against UMBC on Wednesday, Maryland had nearly reached that number halfway through the game and finished the evening with 10.
Gentzler and Matt Marquis led the way, each setting career highs with three stolen bases.
Ian Schwalenberg (4-2), who pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief and allowed just one run on three hits, earned the win.
To add to his three hits and three stolen bases, Gentzler moved from first base to the mound in the ninth and picked up his seventh save of the season.
Rodriguez got the Terps off to a good start, hitting the second pitch of the game over the left field wall for a 1-0 lead.
Rodriguez got his second hit of the game in the third inning on a hard-hit ball through the gap between third base and shortstop. Poutier's sacrifice bunt moved him to second and Rodriguez stole third base, his 20th stolen base this season. Brandon Padula's groundout to shortsop brought Rodriguez home and gave the Terps a 3-0 lead.
The Terps executed a double steal in the fourth inning, with Zach Fisher taking third and Jordan Hagel taking second to give Maryland its sixth and seventh stolen bases of the evening. With two outs, Poutier ripped a two-run triple down the left field line - Maryland's first three-bagger of the season - to increase its lead to 5-0.
But UMBC made a game of it with a six-run fifth inning.
Maryland starter Blair Delean, who surrendered just two hits and didn't allow a run through four innings, struggled in the fifth. After hitting Rich Conlon with a pitch to open the inning and inducing Rick Phillips into a groundout, Delean walked three straight batters. Matt Fullerton then replaced Delean and walked the first batter he faced to give UMBC its second run.
After a groundout plated another run, Bryan Russo tripled to the gap in right-center field, scoring two more. The Retrievers added one more run on an RBI single from Curtis Schickner as they got within one, 7-6.
The Terps (14-21) responded with two runs in the sixth. Padula's sacrifice fly scored Rodriguez and Matthew Murakami's RBI single plated Poutier.
Michael Pesci (1-2) allowed six runs on seven hits in four innings and took the loss for UMBC (7-18).
Maryland returns home for a three-game series with NC State this weekend. All three games are free of charge as the Terps celebrate Fan Appreciation Weekend.
