April 29, 2010

Game Notes (PDF)

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - The University of Maryland baseball team hits the road this weekend for a three-game series with ACC opponent Miami that opens Friday at 7 p.m.

The Terps and Hurricanes, which haven't played against each other since 2007, will also play Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at noon.

Live stats for all three games can be found on umterps.com.

Probable Pitching Matchups:
Friday (7:00): RHP Brett Harman (4-6, 4.26) vs. LHP Chris Hernandez (5-2, 3.57)
Saturday (7:00): LHP Eric Potter (2-8, 8.40) vs. LHP Eric Erickson (4-1, 2.66)
Sunday (Noon): RHP Sander Beck (0-7, 7.84) vs. RHP Jason Santana (3-2, 5.16)

Leading Off...
• The Terps will play their fifth and final series against an Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division team this weekend when they take on Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. Maryland's final two series of the year will be against teams from their own Atlantic Division - Clemson and Wake Forest.
• Maryland and Miami last played in 2007, also in Coral Gables. The Hurricanes took two of three in that series, with the Terps winning the last meeting 5-4.
• The Terps have fallen on hard times of late, losing six straight. A lack of offensive production has been the downfall - Maryland has scored just 2.8 runs per game over that span.

Tracking the Terrapins...
• Brett Harman has established himself as one of the best pitchers in the ACC during conference action. His 2.81 ERA against ACC teams ranks third in the conference and he is second in innings pitched (51.1), trailing only 2009 ACC Pitcher of the Year Deck McGuire (51.2). In five of his seven starts against ACC competition, Harman has gone at least seven innings, totaling 42 strikeouts and allowing just eight earned runs in those games. The junior is fourth in the league with 70 total strikeouts this season, or 9.04 per game. Harman also ranks in the league's top 10 by holding opposing batters to a .242 average in ACC contests.
• Catcher Jack Cleary and center fielder Matt Marquis have led the way offensively in April. Cleary is batting a team-high .338 this month, while Marquis is hitting .297 and recently had an 11-game hitting streak snapped.
• Maryland has been creative all season in finding ways to manufacture runs. The Terps have used squeeze-plays, double-steals, and most of all, sacrifice bunts to get runners home. As a team, Maryland has 47 sacrifice bunts heading into the weekend, which ties for the ACC lead and ranks in the top 10 in the nation. Alfredo Rodriguez and Jack Cleary are third in the league with 10 sacrifice bunts, and the duo trail only Steven Braun (14, 2006) and Larry Long (14, 1999) in Maryland single-season history.

About the Hurricanes...
• The Hurricanes, ranked 16th in the nation with a 31-11 record, are riding an 11-game home winning streak entering this weekend's mathcup. Miami's 3.44 team ERA in ACC games leads the league.
• ACC Player of the Year candidate Yasmani Grandal is batting .481 in league play and .428 overall this season. The junior catcher is second in the ACC with a .757 slugging percentage and has a team-high 47 RBI.
• Friday's pitching matchup features two of the top strikeout men in the league. Miami's Chris Hernandez is eighth in the ACC with 59, while Brett Harman is fourth with 70.
• Miami is tied for second in the ACC with 65 home runs this year, including 24 over the last 10 games.

SERIES HISTORY: Maryland trails the all-time series with Miami, 3-6.

Versatile veteran...
Senior Dan Gentzler has served as the Terps' closer all season and has been the primary first baseman much of the year.
• Gentzler, who is now tied for second on Maryland's all-time saves list with 15, has made a team-high 22 appearances on the mound and has a 4.61 ERA.
• He is tied for second in the ACC with seven saves this season and earned his first win of the year by not allowing a base runner in the ninth and tenth innings in the win over North Carolina (4/2).
• Before this season, Gentzler did not have a career at-bat. In 2010, he has made 30 starts at first base and is hitting .245.
• Against Georgia Tech on March 19, Gentzler belted two home runs off 2009 ACC pitcher of the year Deck McGuire, totaling four RBI and leading Maryland to a 5-2 win. Showing his versatility, Gentzler moved from first base to pitcher and threw a perfect ninth inning to preserve the win and earn a save.
• For his performance against the Yellow Jackets, Gentzler was given the Primetime Performer Award by CollegeBaseball360.com.

Immediate contributor...
Brandon Padula, who is in his first season with Maryland after transferring from West Virginia, has been the team's most reliable offensive contributor. The redshirt-sophomore has recorded three hits in a game seven times this season, and has 19 multi-hit games.
• Padula leads the team with 30 RBI on the year, including a career-high four in a 7-5, come from behind victory over Hofstra on 3/7. In that game, Padula hit a two-out, three-run home run that proved to be the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth inning.
• Padula came through with his second game-winning hit of the season against Old Dominion (3/16), breaking a 2-2 tie with an RBI double in the eighth inning.
• In addition to leading the team with 30 RBI, Padula paces the Terps in batting average (.363), slugging percentage (.506), on-base percentage (.436), doubles (11) and hits (58). Padula has been consistent to his average when it matters most, hitting .373 with runners in scoring position.

Coming on in relief...
• The Terps have turned to a pair of seniors in the most critical relief situations this season. LHP John Dischert has been excellent with his control, striking out 6.5 for every walk he issues, which is tops on the team. Dischert has accumulated a 4.50 ERA in 28 innings this season and his 1.07 WHIP (walks + hits/innings pitched) also leads the team. RHP Ian Schwalenberg, meanwhile, has made 20 appearances this year and owns a 4.60 ERA. With 73 appearances in his career, Schwalenberg is eighth on Maryland's all-time appearances list.

Blazing a path...
• Maryland has been hot on the base paths all season. The Terps broke the single-game school record for stolen bases when they had 10 vs. UMBC on April 14, and also own the school's single-season record with 103 stolen bases; the previous record of 95 was set in 1998. Alfredo Rodriguez has led the way, currently leading the ACC with 23. That marks the most stolen bases by a Terp since Larry Long had 33 in 1998, which stands as the school record.