March 29, 2011
Season Stats (PDF)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Maryland baseball team opens a four-game homestand with a contest against George Mason on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium. The Terps then play host to No. 7 Florida State in a three-game series this weekend.
Maryland (11-13) was swept in its series at then-No. 3 Virginia last weekend, but the pitching staff performed well in Saturday's doubleheader, holding the Cavaliers to a combined five earned runs. David Carroll provided anther quality start in game two of the series, holding Virginia to one run on four hits in seven innings to lower his ERA to a team-best 2.56.
The Terps also received solid outings by relievers Blair Delean, Brady Kirkpatrick and Michael Boyden. Delean held the Cavaliers to three hits in four scoreless innings of relief on Friday, while Kirkpatrick and Boyden combined to allow just three hits during six scoreless innings in game three of the series.
Maryland held two-run leads in both games on Saturday before eventually falling 4-2 in each contest. The defense had entered the series ranked third in the Atlantic Coast Conference with just 15 errors all season but committed eight over the weekend, allowing Virginia to score 11 unearned runs.
In George Mason, the Terps face a team that has struggled defensively but excelled at the plate. Mason (10-14-1) is hitting .297 as a team and ranks third in the Colonial Athletic Association in doubles (52), home runs (20) and runs scored (172). The Patriots, however, have committed 52 errors on the year.
Outfielder Dan Schafferman leads the team in hitting with a .424 average, is a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts and has a team-high 23 RBI despite playing in just 16 of Mason's 25 games. Third baseman Brig Tison (.348 avg.), infielder Christopher Cook (.341), second baseman/outfielder Nick Allen (.318) and outfielder/first baseman Shane Davis (.312) are other key contributors to an offense that has scored 10 or more runs in a game five times this season.
George Mason leads the all-time series with Maryland, 22-20, after sweeping two games from the Terps last season.
Pitching matchups for Wednesday's game have yet to be determined.
Admission to Wednesday's game is free of charge, while tickets for the series with Florida State can be purchased at umterps.com or by calling 1-800-IM-A-TERP.
