Maryland Explodes for 6 Runs in 8th Inning to Defeat St. Joseph's, 11-5

BALTIMORE, Maryland, Thursday, March 9, 2017 - Once again, a Maryland starting pitcher gave up a basket full of early runs, leaving his team far behind.  Once again, a long relief pitcher bailed him out with an outstanding performance, but did not get credit for the win.  Once again, Maryland's offense came alive after falling behind.  Once again, Maryland won, this time for the fifth straight time.

At College Park on Wednesday, Marty Costes drove in three runs and Tayler Stiles threw three and one-third innings of shut-out relief as Maryland stormed from behind to beat winless St. Joseph's, 11-5. The Terps used a six-run eighth inning to break open a tight game.  Maryland hitters smashed four home runs in the game, which was witnessed by 361 fans in College Park.

Maryland starting pitcher Erick Cameron was shelled for four runs on three hits, a walk and a hit batsman as St. Joseph's broke on top, 4-0, after just one and one-half innings.

Cameron, who retired the Hawks in the first inning after surrendering only a meaningless two-out single, couldn't get anybody out in the second.  He was relieved by Stiles, who then pitched three and one-third innings of shut-out relief, scattering three hits but walking no Hawk hitter.  Stiles' outing gave the Maryland offense a chance to get the Terps back in the game, and to their credit, they did not blow the opportunity.  Maryland struck for two runs in the second inning and two more in the third to tie the game.  The score remained tied until the sixth inning, when the Terps broke on top with a single run, only to see St. Joseph's battle back to tie the game in their half of the seventh.

The game remained tied, this time until Maryland came to bat in the eighth.  Madison Nickens led off the Maryland eighth with his second homer of the season.  Then, a series of walks, errors, wild pitches and other assorted baseball atrocities, mixed with Marty Costes infield single, produced four more Maryland runs.  Before Nickens homer, Costes, Justin Morris and AJ Lee had also hit the long ball for Maryland.

Mike Rescigno, who pitched the top of the eighth for Maryland, giving up neither a hit or run and striking out one, was credited with the win because he was the pitcher of record when the Terps took the lead for good.  Ryan Selmer again pitched the ninth, but the Terps were too far ahead by then for him to be credited with a save.

Maryland, which, at 6-5 is now over .500 for the first time this season, is idle today but is back at Shipley Stadium this weekend for three games with Bryant.  Friday and Saturday's games begin at 2 pm, while Sunday's affair begins at 1 pm.