Sunday, February 28, 2016

Maryland Overcomes 7-2 Deficit, Scores 8 runs in Fifth and 2 Crucial Insurance Runs in 8th to Defeat Rhode Island, 13-10, to Win Weekend Series, 2-1; Soccer: Burnley Surges Into Championship Lead With Come-From-Behind Victory at Bolton

BALTIMORE, Maryland February 28, 2016 - Nick Cieri hit a grand slam home run, and three other Terrapins smashed round trippers, as Maryland overcame a 7-2 deficit to defeat Rhode Island, 13-10, to win the weekend series with the Rams, two games to one.

Cieri's grand slam highlighted an eight-run Terrapin uprising in the fifth inning, which began with Maryland trailing Rhode Island, 7-2.  The Terps quickly pulled to within 7-4 when Kevin Biondic homered over the left field fence with one out.  Anthony Papio, who had led off the inning with a single, scored ahead of Biondic.  After the Biondic homer, Justin Morris and Kevin Smith both walked, and after Madison Nickens flied out, Nick Dunn was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  That's when Cieri went deep to put Maryland ahead.  It was a lead the Terrapins would never relinquish, but not because the Rams would go quietly.  Actually, the Rams never went quietly.

Maryland, now 3-3, eventually stretched its lead to 11-7, but had to hang on for dear life as the Rams staged a big rally of their own in the 8th.  Rhode Island scored three times and had runners at the corners with only one out before Terp Relief Pitcher Robert Galligan got out of the jam with a strike out and ground out.  Earlier, Chase Livingston hit a three-run home run for Rhode Island.  After pulling back to within one run, Rhode Island allowed Maryland to again open up breathing room in the bottom of the eighth.  The big blows were back-to-back RBI doubles by Dunn and Cieri.  Galligan then worked a scoreless ninth to earn the save.

Soccer:  Burnley Surges to Top of Championship as Andre Gray Scores Two Late Goals to Lift Claret Past Bolton
Bolton began this home match facing imminent relegation, but you'd never have known it by looking at the scoreboard for most of the affair.  Suddenly, scoring wonder Andre Gray changed everything, and the day ended with surging Burnley atop the Championship Table.

The Wanderers took the lead in the second half, 1-0, when Liam Feeney scored from very close range in the 69th minute, according to the BBC.  For all of five minutes, the home crowd had a big upset on their hands.  Then, Gray came alive.  In the 74th minute, he used his right foot to even the match.  In the 85th minute he utilized his left foot to put Burnley ahead.  Burnley has rarely, if ever, surrendered a late lead.  And they didn't on Saturday, either.

The Claret now sit atop the Championship with 65 points, one point ahead of Hull City and Middlesbrough.  Burnley returns to action on Saturday against 18th place Blackburn.


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