TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Maryland baseball team swatted three two-run home runs in the fourth to get past Alabama, 9-5, at Sewell-Thomas Stadium Saturday night.
The Terrapins (1-1) found their offense after scoring once in the series opener. Junior Nick Cieri went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and the first home run of Maryland's six-run fourth. Senior Anthony Papio and junior Madison Nickens notched the other two big flies in the frame.
Sophomore Taylor Bloom made the start and earned the win after five innings of work with five strikeouts. Sophomore Ryan Selmer earned the save after fanning three in the final two and a third innings of the contest.
Alabama plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the second. Chance Vincent singled to bring home Cody Henry.
The six-run Maryland fourth began with a Nick Dunn single to left. Cieri then put one over the right field fence on a 3-2 count to give the Terps a 2-1 lead.
After an Andrew Bechtold walk, Papio gave Maryland its second home run of the inning with an opposite field shot. Sophomore Jamal Wade then walked to give Maryland five straight batters to reach base.
Two batters later, Nickens drilled one over the right field fence to drive in Zach Jancarski, who had reached on a fielder's choice. The Terps finished the inning with six runs on four hits with three walks to take a 6-1 lead.
Alabama grabbed a run in the bottom half of the fourth, but the Terps matched it with a tally in the top of the fifth. Dunn doubled down the left field line before Cieri slapped a single into center to make it 7-2.
The Crimson Tide rallied with a Cody Vance single to left to plate a run in the fifth. The home team then grabbed a couple of runs off senior Jared Price in the sixth to make the score 7-5.
The Terps put the game away in the eighth. Bechtold drew a one out walk before stealing second. After Papio flew out, Jamal Wade was hit by a pitch to bring up Kevin Biondic. The sophomore ripped a double into left field to plate both runners and give the Terps a 9-5 lead.
Nickens finished the day with two hits and a pair of RBIs while Dunn scored twice and notched a pair of hits.
Maryland returns to action against the Crimson Tide Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Action can be seen live on SEC Network + or fans can listen live on the Maryland Baseball Network.
– Terps –
