HARRISONBURG, Va. – The No. 11 Maryland baseball team brought the tying run it the plate in the ninth inning, but could not complete the comeback in an 8-6 defeat to James Madiosn at Eagle Field Tuesday night.
The Terrapins (17-5, 3-0) fell behind 8-0 after five innings, but rallied back behind a five-run sixth. Sophomore Brandon Lowe led the offense with two doubles while Tim Lewis picked up a hit, run and RBI.
James Madison struck first in the opening frame. Ky Parrott's triple plated a run before Kevin Husum brought in Parrott to give the Dukes a 2-0 lead.
The Dukes added a couple more runs in the third before grabbing four more in the fifth. Maryland responded with a five-run inning of its own in the sixth. Kevin Martir and Jose Cuas reached on back to back hit by pitches before Lewis tripled to center to plate both runners.
Anthony Papio then doubled down the right field line to score Lewis. One batter later, Justin Morris reached on a wild pitch that came on strike three. Kengo Kawahara delivered with a single through the right side to plate Papio.
After Lowe struck out, Kevin Smith drove in Morris with a single. Martir then walked, but Cuas struckout to end the threat.
In eighth, Maryland loaded the bases with two outs for Cuas again and the junior walked to score Kevin Biondic. Nick Cieri popped out to end the inning.
Down two in the ninth, Lewis was hit by a pitch and moved to second after Biondic walked. Jamal Wade struck out before the Dukes induced a force at second on a Lowe grounder to end the contest.
Maryland returns to action this weekend against Michigan. Action can be seen throughout the weekend on BTN Plus.
-Terps-
