HARRISONBURG, Va. – Shortstop Blake Schmit had three doubles and three RBI and Charlie White added three RBI and two stolen bases, including his record breaking 63rd career steal, as the Maryland baseball team defeated James Madison, 13-6, Tuesday afternoon at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park.
The Terps (5-2) totaled a season-high 14 hits including eight extra base hits, the most since totaling 10 extra base hits in game one of a doubleheader against Oakland on Feb. 22, 2013. It is the third time this season the Terps have totaled double-digit hits. Maryland had 13 hits in game at Florida and 12 hits in the series finale.
The early milestone of this afternoon's contest came in the first inning as White became Maryland's all-time stolen base leader passing Larry Long and Alfredo Rodriguez with 63 stolen bases.
Schmit and White were joined by several Terps who put up strong offensive numbers. Freshman Mike Rescigno finished with personal bests in hits (4), doubles (2) and RBI (2). Brandon Lowe had a double and two RBI, while Andrew Amaro added two runs and a RBI.
Maryland and James Madison combined for four runs in the first inning. Batting in the normal leadoff position, White reached on an error to start. Three pitches into the next at-bat, White stole second to increase his season total to two becoming Maryland's all-time steals leader in the process.
Two pitches later, Lowe doubled to right field to bring White home. After a sacrifice bunt moved Lowe to third, Kevin Martir picked up his team-leading sixth RBI as Lowe scored on a groundout to second.
In the bottom of the inning, Madison (4-5) got a single and a double to put runners at second and third with one out. The Dukes scored their opening run on a ground out to third and tied the game at two with a single to right field.
Madison jumped in front in the home half of the third inning. After retiring the first two batters of the frame, Maryland starter Jake Drossner gave up a two-run home run to Conner Brown to give the Dukes a 4-2 lead.
The Terps tied it up in the top of the fourth. Blake Schmit began the inning with a double over the head of the left fielder. Two batters later, Schmit stole his team-high fourth base of the season when he took third. With Terrapins at the corners and two outs, White found the gap in left center for a two-RBI double to score Schmit and bring home Amaro from first, who reached base on a hit-by-pitch.
Maryland took the lead in the fifth with a five-run inning. After a leadoff walk by Martir, Schmit recorded his second double of the game to score Martir. Rescigno followed and singled up the middle to bring home Schmit. Rescigno then stole second and advanced to third on a single by Jose Cuas.
With one out and runners at the corners, Amaro executed a perfect squeeze play to score Rescigno. White kept the line moving by singling up the middle to score Cuas and Lowe hit a sacrifice fly to right for the Terps final run of the inning.
The Terps added one more run in the sixth on Schmit's third double of the game. The senior shortstop doubled off the right field wall to score Martir from second.
In the bottom of the inning, Conner Brown led off the frame with his second home run of the day against reliever Zach Morris, who was making his Terrapin debut. But Morris bounced back with two strikeouts in the inning.
The Terps added two more runs in the eighth behind a Schmit RBI single and RBI single from Rescigno.
The Dukes scored one in the bottom of the eighth, but Maryland answered with one in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Krysthian Leal.
Maryland returns home on Friday to begin a four-game set against Massachusetts. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. from Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.
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