HIGH POINT, N.C. – Junior Brian Shaffer tossed an eight-inning complete game, but the Maryland baseball team fell, 2-1, to High Point at Williard Stadium Thursday night.
The Terrapins (33-18, 15-9 Big Ten) mustered just two hits off of High Point pitching until the ninth, where a last inning rally came up just short. Shaffer continued his tremendous season, scattering five hits and striking out seven to no walks while allowing just one earned run. Junior Will Watson had two of Maryland's four hits.
The Panthers manufactured runs off Shaffer in the first and the fourth. Maryland stranded runners in the first three frames before not finding a hit until the ninth inning.
That ninth inning rally started with an AJ Lee single up the middle with one out. After Marty Costes walked, Nick Dunn flew out for the second out. Watson then flicked a single into center field to plate Lee and send Costes to third. Senior Nick Cieri sent a flyball to center field that was caught to end the game.
Shaffer retired the final 15 batters he faced. Shaffer has now tossed 261.2 IP in his career, passing Joe Hart (1997-00) for sixth on Maryland's all-time list. His 225 career strikeouts is also sixth all-time in Maryland history. Shaffer's 98 strikeouts this season is the seventh most in a single season in school history.
Maryland and High Point continue their series Friday night at 6 p.m. Fans can listen to the action live on the Maryland Baseball Network.
-Terps-
