FULLERTON, Calif. – Sophomore Brian Shaffer tossed a complete game shutout to push the Maryland baseball team past No. 23 Cal State Fullerton, 1-0, in the rubber game at Goodwin Field Sunday afternoon.
Shaffer was spectacular in his nine innings for work for the Terrapins (9-10), needing just 99 pitches to dispatch the Titans. He struck out five, did not walk a batter and scattered seven hits. Shaffer's complete game is Maryland's second in as many games after Taylor Bloom tossed one Saturday night.
Maryland threatened in the top of the third when senior Anthony Papio started the inning with a double. He moved to second on an AJ Lee sac bunt, but was caught in a rundown on a Justin Morris groundout and tagged out. Morris reached second on the play, but was stranded when Kevin Smith struck out.
The Terps took the lead in the sixth. Morris walked with one out before junior Madison Nickens tattooed a pitch into right center for a double. Morris slid in safely on a play at the plate to give the Terps a 1-0 lead.
Shaffer retired 11 straight between the third and the sixth. He allowed just three runners past first during the ballgame and threw 70-of-99 pitches for strikes.
The Maryland defense picked Shaffer up on multiple occasions. In the second, Nick Dunn gunned down Chris Hudgins at the plate after a relay from deep right center from Papio. Dunn was once again in the center of the defense in the seventh, combining with Smith and Kevin Biondic to turn a fantastic 4-6-3 double play to prevent a Fullerton run.
The win marked the first time Cal State Fullerton has been shut out on a Sunday at home since April 14, 2013 (UC Santa Barbara). The 99-pitch complete game was Maryland's first of its kind under 100 pitches since Jake Stinnett threw a no-hitter against UMass on March 1, 2014.
After getting hit by a pitch in the ninth, Dunn has now reached base in all 19 games. Smith has reached in the last 17 games.
Maryland heads home for a midweek contest with Liberty on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the action can be heard live on the Maryland Baseball Network.
– Terps –
