Terps Welcome Wake Forest on Friday
3/21/2013 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 21, 2013
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Wake Forest (12-11, 1-5 ACC) at Maryland (13-7, 2-4 ACC)
Fri., March 22 (6:30 p.m.) | Sat., March 23 (1:30 p.m.) | Sun., March 24 (1 p.m.)
Location: College Park, Md.
Stadium: Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium (2,500)
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Video: Game 1
Listen Live: WMUC Sports
Probable Pitching Matchups
Game 1 (Friday), 6:30 p.m.: LHP Jimmy Reed (3-1, 2.35 ERA) vs. So. RHP Matt Pirro (3-2, 7.40 ERA)
Game 2 (Saturday), 1:30 p.m.: RHP Brady Kirkpatrick (2-3, 3.90 ERA) vs. Sr. RHP Justin Van Grouw (2-3, 4.24 ERA)
Game 3 (Saturday), 1 p.m.: Jr. RHP Jake Stinnett (1-2, 4.63 ERA) vs. R Sr. LHP Austin Stadler (3-2, 2.81 ERA)
Scouting the Terps
-Maryland has been strong at home early in the season. The Terps are 11-2 at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium including two four-game sweeps of Princeton and Oakland. In the 13 contests, the Terps are batting .325 and are averaging 10.6 hits per game and 8.3 runs per game.
-Maryland's bats have been particularly active so far this season. The Terps have scored at least six runs in 12 of their 20 games, and have reached double digits four times this season (15, vs. Oakland, 2/22; 10, at James Madison; 2/27; 16 vs. Princeton, 3/2; 10, vs. James Madison, 3/19).
-In nine of the past 16 games, Maryland has benefited from one explosive inning and scored at least four runs during that inning. Against JMU, the Terps scored eight runs in the sixth inning to overcome a 5-1 deficit. So far this season, the fifth, the sixth and the seventh have been the Terps' prime offensive innings. Maryland has scored a combined 68 of their 132 total runs in those three innings (51.5%).
-The Terps have been one of the most aggressive teams in the country on the bases. Maryland is seventh nationally and leads the ACC in stolen bases with 52 entering the week. The Terrapins are averaging 2.74 stolen bases per game, which ranks sixth nationally.
-Maryland's bats have been finding the gaps in the outfield. The Terps have 48 doubles, which ranks third in the conference and is tied for 14th nationally. LaMonte Wade leads the team with seven. Jordan Hagel and Charlie White each have six doubles and are tied for second on the squad.
-Kyle Convissar enters the weekend riding a five-game hitting streak and has reached base in 17 consecutive games. Convissar's five-game hitting streak is the second longest streak this season. Blake Schmit had a hit in each of Maryland's first 10 games.
-White has been the focal point of Maryland's running game so far this season. White has an ACC-best 18 stolen bases, which ranks third in the nation, heading into the weekend. He stole four in game one of a Friday doubleheader against Oakland (2/22) becoming the first player to do that since 1998 (Larry Long vs. Howard 4/15/98).
-Through 20 games, Schmit leads the team in hitting (.359) and runs scored (21). White leads the team in OBP (.556) and stolen bases (18), while Hagel is tops in slugging % (.525). Convissar has a team-best 20 RBI. Hagel and Schmit are tied for the team lead in home runs (1).
Scouting the Demon Deacons
-Wake Forest arrives in College Park having lost two consecutive weekend series to North Carolina and NC State, respectively. The Tar Heels swept the Deacons, while the Wolfpack won two of three. The squad's trip to Maryland marks its first ACC weekend road series of the season.
-Wake Forest is hitting .278, which ranks eighth in the ACC. But in conference action, the batting average has dropped .258. The Deacs are one of the most patient teams in the country and have drawn 130 walks, the second-best total in the league and is tied for fourth nationally. They also are tied for the fourth-most home runs in the ACC (17).
-On the mound, the Demon Deacons rank 11th in the ACC with a 4.28 ERA and have allowed a league-high 215 hits and 126 runs. Oppoents are hitting .271 against WF, the highest average in the league.
-Evan Stephens leads the team offensively. Stephens is hitting .427, the second-best mark in the ACC, with a .522 OBP. Jack Carey is slugging .593 and has a team-high four home runs.
-Projected Sunday starter Austin Stadler leads the team with a 2.81 ERA, while registering 23 strikeouts to 10 walks.
Maryland Vs. Cancer
-Following Saturday's game, the team will participate in a head shaving event in effort to show support for those battling cancer.
-The event is part of a charity initiative to help raise money for both the Vs. Cancer Foundation and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
-Donations are currently being accepted at maryland.vs-cancer.org. Maryland has currently raised $4,793 and is just $207 short of its $5,000 goal.
Looking Ahead
Maryland concludes its nine-game homestand against George Mason on Tuesday, March 26 at 4 p.m. The Terps' next ACC series is on the road in Raleigh against NC State beginning Friday, March 29.
