Maryland
Miami
Terps Fall At No. 12 Miami, 9-1
3/24/2012 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 24, 2012
Final Stats | Season Stats (PDF)
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Miami pitcher Eric Whaley tossed six strong innings and the Hurricane offense provided early support on the way to a 9-1 series-clinching victory Saturday night.
The Terrapins (15-9, 1-7 ACC) came into the weekend with the top-ranked pitching staff in the Atlantic Coast Conference, with the starting rotation having accumulated a 6-3 record with a 2.53 ERA. But after Friday-night starter Brady Kirkpatrick lasted just 2 1/3 in game one of the series, Maryland was forced to go to its bullpen early again on Saturday.
Miami (19-4, 7-1 ACC) used four straight hits in the second inning, including a two-run triple by Stephen Perez, to score three early runs and chase Terrapin starter David Carroll (2-1) after 2 1/3.
Maryland's bullpen, which had come in with even higher marks - a 2.30 ERA in 62 2/3 innings of work - didn't fare much better. Junior Charlie Haslup allowed four runs, three of them earned, in two innings of work, and sophomore Jake Stinnett allowed two runs in two innings. Both struck out three, but issued three walks as well.
The Hurricanes took advantage of Maryland's miscues. Leading 3-1 in the third, Peter O'Brien singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a single by Rony Rodriguez, and then scored on a failed pickoff attempt.
Meanwhile, the breaks just wouldn't fall Maryland's way. In the fourth, Tomo Delp led off with a bunt single, and Jordan Hagel followed with a hard liner right back at Whaley. But the ball bounced high in the air off of Whaley and right to Hurricanes second baseman Stephen Perez, who caught it and threw to first to double off Delp.
After that, Miami tacked on three runs in the bottom-half of the fourth on a one-run double by Dale Carey and a two-out, two-run double from Brad Fieger to make it 7-1.
Whaley (3-1), who struck out five, set down the side in order in the fifth and sixth, his final two innings of work.
Carey had another run-scoring double in the sixth, and Miami scored its final run with a bases-loaded wild pitch.
Earlier, Maryland had taken a 1-0 lead in the second inning after back-to-back singles by Korey Wacker and Etchison. With two outs, Wacker stole third and advanced home when Miami third baseman Fieger couldn't handle the throw.
In the first inning, both teams' center fielders made great defensive plays. Maryland had the bases loaded when Tomo Delp hit a hard shot to center, but Carey came up with a diving snag to end the inning and save at least two runs. In the bottom half, it was Wacker making a diving grab of O'Brien's hard-hit liner to end the inning.
Maryland RHP Brett Harman (3-1, 1.11) will look to salvage a game out of the series when he takes on Miami LHP Steven Ewing Sunday at 1 p.m.
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