Terps Travel To Georgia Tech For ACC Opener
3/10/2011 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 10, 2011
Probable Pitching Matchups
Game 1 (Friday, 7 p.m.): RHP Sander Beck (0-1, 4.96) vs. RHP Mark Pope (3-0, 0.42)
Game 2 (Saturday, 4 p.m.): RHP David Carroll (3-0, 1.33) vs. LHP Jed Bradley (1-0, 2.08)
Game 3 (Sunday, 1 p.m.): LHP Eric Potter (2-0, 0.89) vs. RHP Buck Farmer (1-1, 3.00)
Storyline
• Maryland opens Atlantic Coast Conference play with a trip to No. 25 Georgia Tech for a three-game series. The Terps are coming off an eight-game homestand that saw them go 7-1, with pitching and defense playing a central role in their success.
• Starting pitchers Sander Beck, David Carroll and Eric Potter are a combined 5-1 with a 2.21 ERA in nine starts this season. Potter and Carroll both rank in the top 11 in the ACC in ERA; Potter is fourth (0.89) and Carroll is 11th (1.33), and both have put together back-to-back outings of at least seven innings.
• Maryland's bullpen also came on strong during the homestand, allowing seven runs in 29 1/3 innings pitched (2.15 ERA). Right-handers Michael Boyden, Brady Kirkpatrick, Charlie Haslup, Korey Wacker and Chuck Ghysels, along with lefty Jimmy Reed, did the bulk of the work. Haslup (two appearances) and Wacker (three appearances) didn't allow any runs during the homestand. As a unit the bullpen heads into the weekend having not allowed a run in its last 11 innings.
• Defensively Maryland ranks second in the league in fielding percentage (.985), behind only No. 11 Virginia (.993). The Terps have committed just one error in the last five games and turned a season-high three double-plays in the win over Delaware on Tuesday.
Follow the Terps Online
• Radio of all three games will be broadcast over the internet here. Fans can also follow live stats through www.umterps.com and can get updates via twitter at www.twitter.com/UMTerps.
About the Yellow Jackets
• No. 25 Georgia Tech is 9-4 and is riding a four-game winning streak after a sweep of Rutgers and a mid-week win over Kennesaw State. The Yellow Jackets rank second in the ACC in batting average (.335) and lead the league with 154 hits. The pitching staff ranks third in the conference with a 2.31 ERA.
• Friday-night starter Mark Pope (RHP/Jr.) leads the ACC with a 0.42 ERA. In three starts he has pitched 21 2/3 innings, giving up just 15 hits and one earned run, while striking out 19 and walking only two. Jed Bradley (LHP/Jr.), the Saturday starter, leads the team with 27 strikeouts and 17.1 innings. Bradley has a 2.08 ERA and opponents are hitting just .119 against him. Buck Farmer (RHP/So.) rounds out the rotation with a 1-1 record, 3.00 ERA, 20 strikeouts and 10 walks in 15.0 innings.
• Seven of Georgia Tech's everday starters are batting over .300, and its top three hitters are all lefties: infielder/catcher Matt Skole (.415), center fielder Kyle Wren (.404) and 1B/RF/DH Daniel Palka (.392).
• The Yellow Jackets have 17 freshmen on the roster in a class that was ranked No. 7 nationally by Baseball America and have started as many as seven freshmen in a game.
