BALTIMORE, Maryland May 22, 2014 - A University of Maryland Baseball Team that has far exceeded expectations all season long exploded for 4 homeruns against a team that spent many weeks ranked No. 1 in the nation, and possibly punched their ticket to a berth in the NCAA Tournament, which they haven't played in since 1971, by beating Virginia, 7-6, in Greensboro, North Carolina in their first pool game in the ACC Tournament. In doing so, Maryland broke an all-time school record for victories by racking up their 35th win on the year. They have now won ten straight games since being swept in a three-game series by lowly Boston College near the end of April.
Jake Stinnett, the Senior Strike-Out King, fanned ten Cavaliers over eight innings of work, He threw over 120 pitches and Terp Coach John Szefc went to his closer, Kevin Mooney, to start the ninth, with Maryland on top, 7-4. Mooney needed all of that lead to bring the win home. He surrendered a one-out two-run homer to Sophmore Joe McCarthy, a Scranton, Pennsylvania native, to bring the Cavaliers, known for their late rallies, to within a run. Then Mooney walked Nick Howard, putting the tie run on. The next hitter, Kevin Fisher, already had four hits, and he smashed a Mooney delivery on the line toward the left-center field power alley. In the defensive play of the game, Terp Shortstop Blake Schmit flew into the air and snared the screaming line drive for the second out. Mooney then struck out John LaPrise to end it.
Charlie White led off the game for Maryland with a home run. But Virginia was in the lead, soon enough, going up 2-1, on a two-run homer by Fisher. But then Lamont Wade homered for Maryland, his first of the season, and the teams went back and forth. After six innings the game was tied, 4-4. In the seventh inning, Kevin Martir unloaded a long home run off of Virginia Starter Kevin Rosenberger with one man on, putting the Terps up, 6-4. It was a lead the Terps would not surrender. But Maryland wasn't finished, and it is a good thing considering what happened in the ninth. In the 8th inning, Wade smashed his second home run of the game and Maryland's fourth of the game to put the Terps up, 7-4. Stinnett finished the 8th inning having thrown over 120 pitches and striking out ten Cavaliers. He is now 7-6 on the season after being matched up all season long with the best pitchers in the USA. He has 123 Strikeouts in 104 innings, and an ERA of 2.68. The Senior also has a professional career ahead of him.
This is the first time all season that Virginia, now 43-12, has lost two straight games. They lost their last regular season game to Wake Forest. Maryland, unranked by the Baseball Writers, the poll carried by the NCAA, is nonetheless finally getting votes in that poll. They are now 35-19. Their resume includes wins over No. 3 Virginia, No. 6 Florida State, No. 14 Florida, No. 26 Clemson, No. 28 Liberty and ACC rivals Wake Forest (like Maryland, unranked but getting votes), North Carolina, North Carolina State (ranked in top ten earlier in season), Georgia Tech, Pitt, and Notre Dame, If they are not now in the NCAA Tournament, Congress should investigate.
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