Saturday, March 18, 2017

Shaffer and Bloom Masterful as Terps Take First Two Games of Weekend Series Against Princeton; Wisconsin Sends Defending Champ Villanova Packing From NCAA Basketball Tournament; Burnley Ends 4 Match Road Trip With Draw At Sunderland

BALTIMORE, Maryland, Saturday, March 18, 2017 - Maryland's No. 1 starting pitcher, Brian Shaffer, was once again brilliant, blanking Princeton over 8 innings while surrendering only three hits, and Kevin Smith smashed a three-run homerun to highlight a 4 run Terrapin 6th inning uprising, as the home team beat back their Ivy League rivals, 4-0, Friday afternoon in the first game of a three-game weekend series in College Park.  In game no. 2 on Saturday, Taylor Bloom gave up only one earned run and six hits over six and two-thirds innings, and Maryland rallied to beat the Tigers, 6-2. Maryland has now won 10 of their past 11 games to improve their overall record to 11-6.

Maryland sophomore AJ Lee, who started at third base in the second game of the series on Saturday, drove in three runs, including one run in three different innings, to help Maryland to its second win of the series.  Lee had an RBI bunt single in the second inning that, at the time, tied the score, 1-1.  Lee's second RBI again tied the score.  It came in the fourth inning in the form of a sacrifice fly ball with Princeton ahead, 2-1.  Lee's third RBI came in the Terps' three-run seventh, and was again in the form of a sacrifice fly.  Maryland's other RBI's were credited to Marty Costes, Will Watson and Madisen Nickens.

In the series opener on Friday, Shaffer struck out ten Princeton batters in improving his record to 2-1.  Andrew Miller pitched a scoreless ninth, although Maryland's 4-run lead precluded him from being credited with a save.  

The start of the Friday game was moved up to 2 pm from its original 6 pm starting time due to the cold weather that has gripped the Northeastern part of the United States in the past week.  All snow had been removed from the field by game time, and 223 fans braved the elements to watch the contest.  
Maryland's Will Watson drove the other Maryland run and was three for four for the afternoon.  Princeton third baseman Joseph Flynn had two of the Tigers' three hits, including a double.

The two teams play the third game of the series on Sunday afternoon beginning at 1 pm.  After that game, Maryland plays a two-game mid-week series at the University of North Carolina - Wilmington, then returns home to open the Big Ten Conference Schedule with three games against Michigan.

Nigel Hayes Uses Michael Jordan Move to Help Oust Defending Champ Villanova From NCAA Tournament
Wisconsin's Senior Forward Nigel Hayes had watched Michael Jordan make a certain move many times.  He watched and he learned it.  Then, on Saturday, he used it to help defeat the defending National Champs, 65-62, and in the process earn their fourth straight trip to the Sweet 16.  

The thrilling game was tied in the final seconds when Hayes went to work.  He began to drive along the baseline when he hesitated and seemed about to dribble out.  Then he accelerated to the basket and C the winning basket.  

Hayes was outstanding throughout, scoring a game high 19 points and pulling down 8 clutch rebounds.  His heroics were key as Wisconsin overcame its other two stars, Ethan Happ and Bronson Koenig, being in foul trouble.

Burnley Battles Sunderland to Scoreless Draw; Ends Four-Match Road Trip 8 Points Clear of Relegation
The good news is that the seemingly endless four-match road trip is finally over.  It ended Saturday when the Claret battled relegation-threatened Sunderland to a scoreless draw at the Stadium of Light.  The bad news is that Burnley has failed to win away from Turf Moor, and has earned only 3 points out of a possible 45 on the road this season.  Still, Burnley is in 13th place, 8 points ahead of 18th place Hull City and with 4 sides between it and the closest relegation team.  Burnley has 9 matches left in the season.

In accepting the draw, Scott Arfield was sensational.  The BBC named Arfield the Man of the Match.  His first half shot very nearly gave the Claret a lead it dearly wanted.

Now Burnley returns at last to Turf Moor for matches with Hull City and Stoke City.  The Hull match is on April 1 at Turf Moor and the Stoke City Match is on April 4.

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