April 13, 2012
Final Stats | Season Stats (PDF)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Michael Montville blasted a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Maryland to a 4-2 win over Duke Friday night in front of 1,855 fans at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium.
With a runner on first, Montville squared to bunt, but pulled back and unleashed on a 1-1 offering, sending it high over the left-field wall for the victory. Maryland (23-13, 6-10 ACC) has now won four games in its last at-bat this season, including two in the last three games.
Making his second career start, Jimmy Reed turned in another masterful performance on the mound. After going eight innings in his first start last Friday, Reed lasted nine against the Blue Devils (13-22, 5-11 ACC). And though the left-hander surrendered nine hits, he allowed just two runs, both of which came in the third inning.
Reed struck out six without issuing a walk, and in the ninth inning worked out of trouble to keep the game tied. Duke had runners on first and second with one out, but Reed induced a pair of groundouts to escape.
Blue Devils reliever David Putman (1-1) worked a perfect ninth but walked Ryan Holland to lead off the 10th, setting up Montville's heroics.
The Terps had forced extras by rallying from a 2-0 deficit against Duke's Marcus Stroman, the NCAA leader in strikeouts.
Stroman allowed two hits in the first but cruised through the next four-plus innings, retiring 14 in a row. Maryland, however, broke through against the right-hander in the sixth with a clutch piece of hitting from Tomo Delp.
With Kyle Convissar on second and two outs in the inning, Delp drove a 3-1 pitch to the gap in right-center field for Maryland's first run. The Terps tied it an inning later.
Alfredo Rodriguez led off the seventh with a single through the left side, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Holland, and came around to score on a couple of passed balls.
Reed, meanwhile, grinded through his final three innings. He allowed a hit in the seventh and eighth and two in the ninth, but worked out of trouble each time.
Terrapin reliever Charlie Haslup (3-2) pitched a scoreless 10th and was credited with the win. A hit batsman and single by Duke's Andrew Istler gave the Blue Devils runners on the corners with two outs, but Haslup struck out pinch-hitter Grant McCabe in a seven-pitch at-bat to end the inning.
Earlier, Duke broke through for two runs on three hits in the third. Angelo La Bruna's single to center field scored David Perkins from second and after an infield single, a close call at first prolonged the inning. With runners on first and second, Istler hit a tailor-made double-play ball to third, but was able to beat out the throw at first.
That allowed Duke to execute a delayed steal of home while the next batter was up, with La Bruna taking home after Maryland catcher Jack Cleary threw to second to get Istler. That marked the first time since May 3, 2011 that Reed allowed multiple runs in a game.
Neither Stroman, who struck out eight in eight innings, nor Reed factored into the decision.
The Terps will look to clinch a second consecutive series victory Saturday at 3 p.m. Maryland RHP Brett Harman (4-2, 2.60) will take on Duke LHP Trent Stewart (3-4, 2.78).
Notes: It was Maryland's first walk-off home run since April 2, 2010, when Adam Kolarek had one against North Carolina, also in the 10th inning ... Delp was the lone Terp with two hits and raised his batting average to .315, second on the team behind K.J. Hockaday (.321) ... in his first two college starts, Reed has gone a combined 17 innings and surrendered just two runs, while striking out 14 and walking two ... Maryland's team ERA is down to 2.67 ... the Blue Devils outhit the Terps 10-5 ... Montville has four home runs this year, second on the team behind Tim Kiene's six.
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