COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland baseball team opens up its 2016 home schedule this weekend with a three-game set against Rhode Island. Fans can listen to the action live on the Maryland Baseball Network.
Setting the stage
Friday, Feb. 26 – 1:00 p.m.
RHP Mike Shawaryn (0-1, 3.60 ERA) vs. LHP Steve Moyers (0-1, 9.00 ERA)
Saturday, Feb 27 – 2:00 p.m.
RHP Taylor Bloom (1-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. LHP Tyler Wilson (0-1, 12.60 ERA)
Sunday, Feb. 28 – 1:00 p.m.
RHP Brian Shaffer (0-1, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP Ben Wessel (0-1, 24.30 ERA)
Location: College Park, Md.
Stadium: Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium
Radio: Maryland Baseball Network
Live Stats: umterps.com
Twitter: @TerpsBaseball
Protect "the Bob"
• Under fourth-year head coach John Szefc, Maryland has swept three consecutive home opening series.
• In those ten games, Maryland outscored its opponents 81-20 with five shutout wins.
POWER SURGE
• Maryland's six-run fourth in its 9-5 victory over the Crimson Tide was highlighted by three two-run home runs. Junior Nick Cieri, senior Anthony Papio and junior Madison Nickens all went yard.
• It's the first time Maryland has had three home runs in an inning since March 1, 2008 when Chad Durakis, Gerry Spessard and Mike Murphy hit back-to-back-to-back home runs against Hofstra.
DECORATED DEBUTS
• Two of Maryland's most highly touted newcomers, junior Madison Nickens and freshman Nick Dunn, showed well in the opening series against Alabama.
• Dunn started at second base and had four hits and two runs scored batting in the three-hole. Nickens occupied the leadoff spot and added a pair of hits to his home run while playing nice defense in center and left field.
TERPS AMONG B1G FAVORITES
• After winning a school record 42 games and advancing to its second straight Super Regional, Maryland has been picked to win the Big Ten by D1Baseball.com.
• The Terps were selected to place second in the conference in the Big Ten preseason coaches poll. Junior RHP Mike Shawaryn, junior DH Nick Cieri and sophomore SS Kevin Smith were named Players to Watch.
#THEUNICORN LEADS THE WAY
• Junior RHP Mike Shawaryn struck out eight in his opening start of the season against Alabama. Shawaryn has now struck out at least seven batters in nine of his last ten games dating back to last season.
• Shawaryn put together one of the best seasons by a pitcher in Maryland history in 2015, racking up a program record 13 wins and 138 strikeouts. Shawaryn recorded a 1.71 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .202 average.
• Shawaryn is a preseason first-team All-American in most major outlets. He was named the preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year by Perfect Game and D1Baseball.com.
• After pitching for USA Baseball this summer, Shawaryn was named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List. Sponsored by Major League Baseball and USA Baseball, the award is presented to the top amatuer baseball player in the country.
• He was named a first-team All-American by the NCBWA, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and Perfect Game in 2015. Shawaryn was the first Maryland player to be named a first-team All-American since 2002, when John McCurdy was a NCBWA first teamer.
• Shawaryn became the second student-athlete in Maryland baseball history to don the Stars and Stripes since 1979 when he joined the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team over the summer. Shawaryn recorded 10.1 IP for the national team.
• Shawaryn's 24 career wins are the most for any junior in the country entering the 2016 season. Those 24 wins are a program record.
• He was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on four occasions last season.
• Shawaryn was a freshman All-American in 2014 where he set the program record for wins in a season with 11.
SENSATIONAL SMITH
• Sophomore Kevin Smith had a spectacular debut campaign in College Park en route to being named a freshman All-American by D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game. He is the Terps' third freshman All-American in the last two season with Mike Shawaryn and Brandon Lowe earning plaudits in 2014.
• Smith was named preseason All-Big Ten by Perfect Game.
• Smith's 55 runs scored were the best mark by a freshman in the Big Ten. He started 65 games, mostly at shortstop, and batted .273 with seven home runs and 35 RBIs.
• He starred during the Terps' postseason run and was named the Big Ten All-Tournament team.
UNTOUCHABLE
• Maryland returns two of the top relief pitchers in the Big Ten; senior Robert Galligan and sophomore Ryan Selmer. Both were named to the NCWBA Stopper of the Year Watch List.
• Galligan had a breakout junior season, tossing 62.1 IP to the tune of a 2.74 ERA. Galligan racked up 58 strikeouts. He made two appearances in the Terps' opening series against Alabama.
• Selmer tied the Maryland record for appearances with 31 in 2015 and recorded a 2.18 ERA. He picked up the save in Maryland's 9-5 win against Alabama, throwing two and a third inning of scoreless ball.
REWRITE THE RECORD BOOK
• The 2015 Terps left their mark in the school's record book. The squad won a school record 42 games, breaking the record of 40 that was set in 2014.
• The Terrapins also notched a program-best 36 regular season wins.
• The Terps advanced to consecutive NCAA Tournaments for the first time in 44 years (1970, 71).
• The 2015 squad produced a school record eight players selected in the MLB Draft.
• Maryland pitchers produced 549 strikeouts, which represents a school and conference record..
• Mike Shawaryn set the school record for total wins (13) and strikeouts (138) in a season.
SZEFC AT THE HELM
• John Szefc is in his fourth season at Maryland. Szefc became the fastest coach in Maryland history to reach 100 wins when the Terps defeated Purdue on April 26, 2015.
• Szefc is the only coach to win 40 games in back-to-back seasons after a 42-win campaign in 2015. The skipper is also the first Maryland coach to achieve three straight 30-win seasons.
• With another trip to the NCAA Super Regionals last season, Szefc became the first skipper in Maryland history to reachthe round in back-to-back years.
• On his first attempt, Szefc led the Terps to the final of the Big Ten Tournament. It is the second straight year the Terps have advanced to a conference tournament championship game after making the ACC final in 2014.
• Szefc picked up his 300th career victory against Michigan on March 28, 2015.
• Szefc's second season saw him lead Maryland to a then program record 40 wins and its first NCAA Tournament apperance since 1971.
• Maryland won the Columbia Regional and advanced to the Super Regional round for the first time in school history.
• The Terrapins advanced to the ACC Tournament for the first time since 2005 and advanced to the conference title game for the first time since 1976.
• Under Szefc, Maryland has won seven NCAA Tournament games. The Terps had previously won just one NCAA Tournament game - in 1970.
• In his first season as skipper in 2013, head coach Szefc led the Terps to a 30-25 record and finished 11-19 in the ACC.
• Szefc's 30 wins were the most by a first-year Maryland coach in program history.
BEST CLASS... EVER
• Maryland baseball's 2016 recruiting class earned the program's highest ever rating from multiple publications including D1Baseball.com (17), Baseball America (22) and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper (27).
• The Terrapin class includes 12 true freshman and two junior college transfers.
• Two members of the group, pitchers Hunter Parsons (40th round, Indians) and Andrew Miller (34th round, Yankees), were selected in the 2015 MLB Draft.
• Freshman Nick Dunn was named a top prospect from the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League by Perfect Game. Dunn is expected to contribute is his first season as a Terrapin.
• Nick Browne earned Perfect Game top prospect honors in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League.
• Baseball American named outfielder Marty Costes a top prospect from the Cal Ripken League.
• Maryland's class is boasted by two outstanding JUCO transfers. Former Harford Community College star Brandon Smith clashed .420/.510/.663 to help his squad win the Maryland JUCO Championships.
• Madison Nickens could slide into Maryland's starting center field spot after helping LSU-Eunice win the NJCAA Division II National Championship with a .289 average with six home runs and 37 RBIs. Nickens also brings elite speed. His 39 stolen bases ranked fifth in the nation.
• The class also boats two-time Washington D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year AJ Lee along with 2015 Baltimore Sun Metro Player of the Year Truman Thomas.
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