COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Junior Anthony Papio finished with a career-high four hits to lead the No. 16 Maryland baseball team past Princeton, 15-0, in the home opener at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium Friday.
The Terps (10-4) featured four players who nabbed multi-hit games. Papio led the group and ended the game a triple away from the cycle. Sophomore right-hander Mike Shawaryn went seven strong innings and struck out 11 to pick up the win.
After a scoreless first two frames, Maryland put up a five-spot in the third. Papio opened the scoring with a solo home run to left field. Freshman Kengo Kawahara followed with a single before Brandon Lowe walked. Kevin Smith brought Kawahara home with a single to give the Terps a 2-0 lead.
Kevin Martir continued the inning with a single to right that advanced both runners before Jose Cuas slammed a bases clearing double to left to give Maryland a 5-0 advantage after three.
Maryland plated another run in the fourth. Papio walked, stole second and then advanced to third on a Kevin Biondic single. Lowe brought the junior in with a sac fly to make it 6-0.
The Terps put up three runs in the fifth. Martir began the inning with a single and moved to third on a Cuas single. Nick Cieri singled down the right field line to score both runners before getting doubled to third by Papio.
Biondic continued the inning when he reached on a wild pitch after striking out. Kawahara subsequently walked to send in Papio and give Maryland a 12-0 lead.
John Mazza's first career RBI on a sac fly gave Maryland its lone run in the seventh.
Shawaryn's first four outs of the game came via the strikeout and the sophomore was in total control throughout. He moved his record to a conference-best 4-0 and leads the league in strikeouts.
The Terrapins final two runs of the game came in the eighth. Zach Jancarski walked before Papio singled. Jancarski scored on a Biondic sac fly to set up Kawahara, who doubled home Papio to give Maryland a 15-0 lead.
Jack Piekos and Andrew Green made their first career appearances in relief of Shawaryn and pitched two spotless innings.
Maryland returns to action Saturday at Harford Community College against the Tigers. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
-Terps-
