Ball State
8
3
#22 MARYLAND
Clearwater Tournament
Feb. 17, 2017 || Spectrum Field || 7 p.m.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Junior right-handed pitcher Brian Shaffer tossed five solid innings, but Ball State used a five-run sixth to overcome the Maryland baseball team, 8-3, at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Fla, Friday night.
The Terrapins (0-1) took the lead in the fifth inning with three runs of their own before Ball State took control in the following frame. Sophomore third baseman AJ Lee led Maryland offensively with two hits and a run scored.
Shaffer faced the minimum through four innings, but a Trent Theisen single in the fifth drove in Seth Freed to give Ball State a 1-0 lead.
Maryland responded in the bottom half of the inning. Junior catcher Justin Morris singled up the middle before Lee ripped a double down the left field line to give the Terps two on with one out. Junior Zach Jancarski's groundout was good enough to bring home Morris and tie the game at 1-1.
After sophomore Nick Dunn walked, sophomore Marty Costes reached on an error to load the bases. Senior Nick Cieri popped out for the second out, but junior Kevin Smith was hit by a pitch to bring home another run. Senior Madison Nickens then drew a free pass to bring home Dunn and make the score 3-1 after five.
Senior Tayler Stiles relieved Shaffer to begin the sixth, and was the first of three Terrapin hurlers used in the inning. Ball State would score four in the frame, with Matt Eppers' two-run double the big hit of the inning.
Ball State tacked on two more in the eighth on Sean Kennedy's two-run homer.
Maryland returns to action at Spectrum Field tomorrow when they take on No. 12 Louisville. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and fans can tune into the game on the Maryland Baseball Network.
-Terps-
