WILMINGTON, N.C. – Sophomore Brandon Lowe notched four hits and three RBIs over two games, but the No. 12 Maryland baseball team dropped both games of its doubleheader with UNC Wilmington at Brooks Field Saturday afternoon.
The Terps (7-4) engaged in a back-and-forth contest with the Seahawks in game one before losing 8-6. The Seahawks (9-3) used a five-run eighth inning in game two to eventually win 11-7.
Game One
Maryland tied the score at 6-6 with back-to-back home runs in the sixth, but the Seahawks nabbed runs in the sixth and the eighth to take game one, 8-6.
After UNC Wilmington grabbed a run in the first off Terrapin ace Mike Shawaryn, the Terps responded with runs in the third and fourth. Lowe singled home Justin Morris in the third before Anthony Papio plated Jose Cuas with a single in the following inning.
The Seahawks responded with three runs in the fourth. Gavin Stupienski hit a two-run homer to left field followed by a Corey Dick home run to make the score 4-2.
Maryland tied the game up at 4-4 in the fifth. Lowe notched his second RBI of the contest with a double down the right field line that scored Kevin Smith. LaMonte Wade's groundout to short was good enough to plate Lowe for the second run of the inning.
After the Seahawks retook the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning, Maryland found its power in the sixth. Kevin Martir hit a solo shot to left before Papio hit one out to left center.
UNC Wilmington grabbed runs in the sixth and eighth and closed the door on the Terps in the ninth to win 8-6.
Game Two
The Terrapins took a 7-5 lead after six innings, but UNC Wilmington plated one run in the seventh and five runs in the eighth to win 11-7.
The Seahawks took an early 2-0 lead on Maryland freshman starter Willie Rios before the Terps struck back with a run in the fourth when Wade scored on a failed pickoff attempt to third. The Terps then grabbed three runs in the fifth, two off a Cuas single, to take a 4-2 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, UNC Wilmington notched three runs to take a 5-4 lead. Maryland responded with two more runs in the sixth to take a one-run lead.
After a Seahawk run that tied the score in the seventh, the home team scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth to take an 11-7 lead. Jared Gesell then shut the door on the Terps in the ninth to give UNC Wilmington the win.
The squads will play the final game of their series tomorrow at 1 p.m.
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