Terps Travel To Virginia Tech
4/27/2012 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 27, 2012
Maryland (27-17, 7-14 ACC) at Virginia Tech (28-15, 8-13 ACC)
Friday, April 27 (5:30) | Saturday, April 28 (2:00) | Sunday, April 29 (1:00)
Location: Blacksburg, Va.
Stadium: English Field (4,000)
Live Stats: Click here.
Live Video: Click here.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday (5:30): LHP Jimmy Reed (1-1, 1.02) vs. RHP Andrew Aizenstadt (2-2, 4.96)
Saturday (2:00): RHP Brett Harman (5-3, 3.14) vs. TBA
Sunday (1:00): RHP David Carroll (3-2, 3.65) vs. LHP Joe Mantiply (4-4, 3.86)
Leading Off...
• After taking a pair of mid-week games over Towson, Maryland hits the road for a conference series for the first time in nearly a month with a three-game set at Virginia Tech. With their wins over Towson, the Terps improved to 20-3 in non-conference games, and now have just three games remaining outside of the ACC schedule.
• Maryland entered the week leading the ACC and ranked 10th nationally with a 2.84 ERA, and saw that mark drop to 2.73 after allowing just one earned run in its two mid-week games. The Terps are one of just two conference teams with ERAs under 3.00 (also North Carolina, 2.96).
• Jimmy Reed, Brett Harman and David Carroll have made up the rotation the last three weekends, with Maryland having won two of those series. Reed now leads the ACC and ranks third nationally with a 1.02 ERA, Harman ranks 16th in the league with a 3.14 mark and Carroll is just outside the top 20 at 3.65. Reed has pitched at least eight innings in each of his first three career starts, going 8 vs. NC State, 9 vs. Duke and 8 1/3 against Clemson.
• In addition to leading the conference in ERA, Maryland has the best fielding percentage at .974. The Terps have committed a league-low 43 errors and have a 12-2 record when they don't commit an error. Maryland has also allowed opponents to steal just 25 bases this season, the second fewest in the league (North Carolina, 16).
• Jordan Hagel took over the team lead in hitting with a .312 average, sitting just ahead of K.J. Hockaday (.311). Hockaday ranks third among ACC freshmen in hitting. Tomo Delp is batting .300 and ranks 10th in the ACC with a .450 on-base percentage. The senior has a team-high 24-game reached-base streak heading into the weekend.
Follow the Terps
• Video broadcasts of all three games will be streamed online at HokieSports.com (subscription required). Live stats are available at HokieSports.com. Also follow @umterpsbaseball on Twitter for updates.
Scouting Virginia Tech
• Virginia Tech is 28-15 overall with an 8-13 league record, and a 16-4 mark at home. The Hokies have won five of their last six conference home games, including taking two of three from then-No. 6 Miami two weeks ago.
• Chad Pinder and Mark Zagunis lead an offense that is tied for second in the league with a .299 batting average. Pinder and Zagunis are both hitting .361, and Pinder ranks fourth in the league with a .608 slugging percentage. Tyler Horan is second in the conference with 11 home runs and the Hokies have a conference best 38 as a team.
• Virginia Tech has a 4.24 team ERA that ranks 10th in the league. RHP Andrew Aizenstadt and LHP Joe Mantiply switch places this weekend, with Aizenstadt slated to start game one of the series and Mantiply scheduled to start game three. The Hokies' game two starter has yet to be announced.
Series history: Maryland leads the all-time series with Virginia Tech, 28-22-1. The Hokies swept the series last season in College Park and took two of three in Blacksburg in 2010.
Upcoming
• Maryland plays seven of its next eight games on the road. After Virginia Tech, the Terps play host to Norfolk State on Tuesday, May 1 at 6 p.m., then travel to George Mason Wednesday at 3 p.m. and Florida State for a three-game series May 5-7.
