WILMINGTON, N.C. – Junior shortstop Kevin Smith hit two home runs, but the Maryland baseball team fell, 10-7, to UNC Wilmington at Brooks Field Tuesday afternoon.
The Terrapins (12-7) fell behind 8-0 after three innings and despite scoring seven runs in the final six frames, could not battle all the way back. Sophomore Marty Costes had three hits including a home run and the Terps outhit the Seahawks 10-9.
Senior Mike Rescigno made the start for Maryland and ended up making it out of the opening frame, but not before the Seahawks posted a five spot. Rescigno was lifted after giving up a single to Brian Mims to open the second. Mims ended up coming around to score on a Ryan Jeffers double off junior right-hander Ryan Hill.
Sophomore RHP John Murphy gave up a pair of unearned runs in the second, both aided by a passed ball from catcher Dan Maynard. The Terps grabbed a run back in the top of the fourth, with Costes hitting a solo shot to straightaway left field.
Maryland did its most damage in a three-run fifth. Smith opened the inning with a home run to center field, his second of the year. Kevin Biondic then reached on an error before Maynard doubled into the gap in right-center. Biondic would then come in to score on a passed ball.
Junior Zach Jancarski plated Maynard on a double to left field. Jancarski would advance to third on a groundout before a Costes walk, but junior Will Watson struck out with runners on the corners to end the threat.
UNCW responded with a run in the fifth. Kennard McDowell reached on a wild pitch by junior RHP Jamal Wade after striking out, before heading to second on Wade's balk. Casey Golden made Wade pay with a single through the right side that brought home McDowell.
Wade ended up striking four batters in the fifth, the first Maryland pitcher to do that since Jared Price against George Mason on April 8, 2014. Wade struck out six consecutive batters between the fifth and sixth, becoming the first Maryland pitcher to achieve that feat since Mike Shawaryn against Indiana in the 2016 Big Ten Tournament.
Smith would pull another run back for Maryland in the sixth with his second solo shot of the ballgame. UNCW responded with a manufactured run off redshirt junior RHP Andrew Green in the seventh.
Maryland continued to battle in the eighth, scoring two more runs. Smith was hit by a pitch to start the inning before Nick Cieri, who had entered for Maynard as a pinch hitter, walked. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and then Smith scored on a wild pitch. Cieri would score on a Jancarski triple to left center.
Freshman Jon Dignanio made his first career appearance in the eighth and notched a three up, three down frame. Watson tripled with one out in the ninth, but a Madison Nickens strikeout and Smith flyout ended the game.
Maryland returns to action Wednesday to close out its two-game set with the Seahawks, with first pitch set for 3:30 p.m. Fans can listen to the contest live on the Maryland Baseball Network.
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