FULLERTON, Calif. – The Maryland baseball team battled back to send the game to extra innings, but fell 3-2 in 10 frames to No. 23 Cal State Fullerton at Goodwin Field Friday night.
The Terrapins (7-10) fell behind early before a two-run eighth tied the game. Junior RHP Mike Shawaryn pitched six innings before senior LHP Robert Galligan pitched three strong innings of relief before Timmy Richards' walk-off homer on the first pitch of the 10th inning.
Maryland put forth its first solid offensive threat in the third. Redshirt freshman Andrew Bechtold slapped a single to left center before a Justin Morris walk. Both runners then moved up on a well-executed sac bunt off the bat of Kevin Smith.
The Terps' inning stalled when Madison Nickens' grounded out on a bunt to the pitcher and Nick Dunn struck out to end the frame.
Fullerton was able to manufacture runs on Shawaryn in the third and fifth. Maryland loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but were unable to bring a run across.
Shawaryn was solid throughout, giving up just five hits and one earned run. The Carneys Point N.J., native struck out four and was able to work out of a few jams to keep the Terrapins within striking distance. Galligan entered in the seventh and worked a fairly routine finning.
That solid pitching helped set the stage for Maryland's rally in the eighth. Dunn started the threat with a single to left before Nick Cieri's single in to right center. Freshman Marty Costes made it three singles in a row to plate Dunn and make the score 2-1.
With Zach Jancarski, in to run for Cieri, at second and Costes at first, Kevin Biondic attempted a bunt that saw Jancarski forced out at third. Senior Anthony Papio was able to come through with a one-out walk to load the bases and set up Bechtold, whose short grounder brought home Costes to tie the game.
In the ninth, Dunn stood on second with two down after a walk and a balk, but Chad Hokin struck out pinch hitter Jamal Wade to end the inning. Galligan then worked out of a jam in the bottom half of the ninth to extend the game.
After Papio's single was it for the Terps in the 10th, Richards slammed Galligan's first offering of extra innings over the left field fence to end the game.
Maryland returns to action tomorrow against Cal State Fullerton at 9:00 p.m., and the game can be heard live on the Maryland Baseball Network.
– Terps –
