MINNEAPOLIS – Despite putting the tying on third in the ninth, the fourth-seeded Maryland baseball team dropped the Big Ten Tournament final, 4-3, to third-seeded Michigan Sunday at Target Field.
The Terrapins (39-21) entered the ninth down two and staged a furious rally that came up just short. Sophomore Nick Cieri notched two hits to lead the offense while the Maryland bullpen threw four and 2/3 innings of shutout ball after Michigan's four-run fourth.
After a pair of scoreless frames, Maryland took the lead in the third. Cieri opened the inning with a single to right before freshman Kevin Biondic was hit by a pitch following a Tim Lewis flyout. Junior LaMonte Wade then walked to load the bases.
Freshman Kevin Smith plated Cieri with a sac fly to right. Sophomore Brandon Lowe then walked, but Michigan starter Brett Adcock induced a fly out from Kevin Martir to end the inning.
Michigan took the lead in the fourth. Maryland starting Taylor Bloom made a defensive miscue on a potential double play ball that allowed Jackson Glines and Carmen Benedetti to stand on first and third with none down. Cody Bruder then singled in Glines to tie the game.
Kevin White followed with an RBI single that gave the Wolverines the advantage. Junior Robert Galligan relieved Bloom, but allowed runs to score on a walk and then a wild pitch.
Maryland cut the deficit to two in the eighth. After a couple of walks, Smith and Martir stood on first and second with two outs for Jose Cuas. The junior slammed a double to right, but only one run scored after he was thrown out trying to advance to third.
After junior Alex Robinson held the Wolverine to zeros in the bottom half of the inning, the Terps threatened in the top half of the ninth. Cieri stroked a one-out single to start the rally. Zach Jancarski, pinch running for Cieri, then advanced to second on a Tim Lewis groundout.
Freshman Jamal Wade, pinch hitting for Biondic, followed with a single through the left side that plated Jancarski. LaMonte Wade singled to right to move pinch runner Kengo Kawahara to third. After Smith was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Lowe flied out to center to end the game.
Maryland RHP Kevin Mooney, who notched three saves during the tournament and did not give up a run, was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team. Smith also earned All-Tournament honors.
Maryland will find out its NCAA Tournament fate Monday on the NCAA Baseball Tournament Selection Show. The pairings will be broadcast live at noon on ESPNU.
