HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Maryland baseball team scored seven runs in the top of the tenth to finish off a thrilling 19-12 win over James Madison at Veterans Memorial Park Tuesday night.
The Terrapins (22-18, 7-5 Big Ten) engaged in a back-and-forth affair that saw the two teams combine for 31 runs on 29 hits. Sophomore Kevin Smith led the offense with seven RBIs, four on a second inning grand slam, the most runs driven in by a Maryland player since 2009.
Sophomore RHP Andrew Green picked up the win as both teams combined to throw 13 pitchers. Green shattered his previous career high of two strikeouts with seven Ks over a career high five innings of relief work.
The action began on the second pitch of the game when junior Madison Nickens took James Madison starter Tucker McCoy deep to give the Terps a 1-0 lead. The Dukes came right back with a run of their own in the bottom half of the frame to die it.
Maryland looked to have busted the game open after a five-run second. Sophomore Kevin Biondic doubled to start the frame before junior Nick Cieri walked. After freshman Dan Maynard grounded into a fielder's choice that putout Cieri, freshman AJ Lee singled to load the bases.
Nickens was issued a free pass by McCoy to plate Biondic before Smith took a 1-2 pitch over the fence in center for the second grand slam of his career. James Madison responded in the bottom half of the inning, chasing Maryland starter Tayler Stiles with a five-spot of its own to make the score 6-6 after two complete.
The Dukes continued their onslaught with two more runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. Maryland fought back for a run in the top half of the fourth when sophomore Zach Jancarski and Lee put together back-to-back doubles to plate a run. However, Adam Sisk got the run back for James Madison with a solo home run off Mike Rescigno to make the score 9-7.
Maryland retook the lead in the sixth. Jancarski reached on an error by the first baseman before redshirt freshman Andrew Bechtold, in for Lee, laid down a bunt single, before both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Smith followed with a single to left field that cleared the bases and tied the game. The sophomore moved to second on the throw attempting to get Bechtold at the plate.
At that point, the game was halted for one hour and 56 minutes due to a lightning delay. When play resumed, freshman Nick Dunn took the first pitch he saw up the middle to plate Smith and give Maryland the lead. Cieri then doubled to right center after freshman Marty Costes walked to give Maryland a 12-9 lead.
Green took over in the bottom half of the sixth and gave the Terps a gutty performance in five innings of relief. James Madison got to the right-hander for a run in the seventh before the Dukes tied the game on a Kyle Weston double to send the game into extra innings.
Maryland responded with seven runs on just two hits in the top of the tenth to seal the win. James Madison pitching issued consecutive walks to Dunn, Biondic and Cieri before sophomore Justin Morris was hit by a pitch to score the winning run. Maryland added to its lead when Jancarski walked to plate Biondic.
Bechtold gave the Terps more cushion with a two-run single through the left side. Senior Anthony Papio then continued his hot hitting with a big triple off the right field fence to plate two more runs. Smith grabbed his seventh RBI of the game with a grounder than plated Papio and gave Maryland a 19-12 victory.
Green worked an easy ninth to secure Maryland's season sweep over James Madison.
Smith's RBI output was the most for Maryland since Tyler Bennett had a school record eight against Wake Forest on May 9, 2009. The Terps' 19 runs were their most since routing Pittsburgh 21-1 on May 9, 2014.
For the game, 11 Terps had at least one hit and four notched multi-hit games. Maryland drew nine walks and had four doubles.
Maryland returns to action this weekend for a three-game set at Penn State. All three games can be heard live on the Maryland Baseball Network while Saturday's contest will be shown live on BTN at 3 p.m.
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