GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The University of Maryland baseball team (0-1) dropped its season-opener to Michigan State (1-0) on Friday night at Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina. Starting pitcher
Sean Burke dazzled with a career-high 13 strikeouts over six innings, but came away with the loss after the Terps' offense was shut down by the Spartans' Friday night starter Sam Benschoter in a classic pitcher's duel.
What You Should Know
- Redshirt sophomore RHP Sean Burke flashed his swing-and-miss stuff all night long, to the tune of a new career-best 13 strikeouts. The Sutton, Mass. native tossed six innings of three run-ball, with two of those runs coming in the first inning. The big right-hander settled in and racked up nine strikeouts from the second to the fifth inning, where he retired 12 consecutive batters.
- Sophomore LHP Ryan Ramsey was effective out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits and striking out four, but was marred by three unearned Spartan tallies.
- Maryland's opening night affair was a vintage pitcher's duel, as Burke and Michigan State starter Sam Benschoter combined for 23 strikeouts. Benschoter earned the win however, quieting the Maryland lineup and tossing eight scoreless innings.
- The Terps offense was stifled, notching just five hits and failing to get a run across as Maryland left nine runners on base.
- Freshman second baseman Matt Shaw and redshirt freshman catcher James Heffley picked up their first hits in a Maryland uniform, while Bobby Zmarzlak, Randy Bednar, and Chris Alleyne picked up their first hits of the season.
- Michigan State led by a small margin - just two runs - for most of the evening, but got a run home in the bottom of the sixth off Burke. Ramsey seemed to be able to limit the damage in the eighth but gave up a trio of unearned runs which widened the gap to a 6-0 Spartan lead.
- The Spartans' two-way threat Zach Iverson pitched a shutdown ninth to secure the win for Michigan State after manning third base for the first eight innings.
Up Next
- Maryland matches up with the Spartans again on Saturday for a doubleheader starting at 4:30 p.m. ET. Both games will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus.
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