Maryland baseball: No. 12 Terps muscle their way past UNCW, 11-9

Terps dig early deep hole, but mount comeback

The Seahawks struck in the bottom of the first. With one out Zach Shields singled, then Casey Golden doubled. After Gavin Stupienski lined out to Shaffer, Corey Dick doubled home both runners for a 2-0 UNC-Wilmington lead. In the bottom of the second inning, the Seahawks scored again. Terence Connelly walked, and a throwing error by Shaffer on a sac bunt put two runners aboard. A single by Steven Linkous and a groundout RBI put UNC-Wilmington up 4-0.

The Terps and Seahawks traded runs in the third inning. Kengo Kawahara got his first career hit, a double to left field. He was brought home on an opposite field single by Brandon Lowe. But Dick's home run in the bottom of the inning put the Seahawks back on top by four runs.

Maryland came back in the fourth on a single by Tim Lewis, which was followed by a two-run shot from Kevin Martir. In the bottom of the inning, Bobby Ruse came in for Shaffer. Linkous singled and was sacrificed to second, and then brought home on a single by Stupienski.

Smith's first home run a grand slam, puts Terps on top

Lewis led off the Terrapin sixth with a walk. Martir doubled, and then Anthony Papio walked to load the bases with no outs. Justin Morris struck out. Kawahara flew out to center to bring home Lewis. After Lowe walked, Smith came through with a grand slam, putting the Terps on top 8-6.

In the top of the seventh inning, Jordan Ramsey (UNC-Wilmington's closer) was on the mound. Jose Cuas jumped on Ramsey's first pitch and homered over the center field fence. Lewis singled. Martir laid down a beautiful bunt and was safe on the throw. Papio sacrificed the runners to second and third. However, the next two batters fanned, stranding two Terps.

Ruse continued to mow down Seahawks, retiring the side in the seventh; that made it 10 straight Seahawk hitters retired. In the top of the eighth, Lowe almost went yard, hitting a smash off the right field wall for a double. He proceeded to steal third. Smith doubled to make it 10-6 Maryland.

Terrapin miscues open the door for Seahawks' comeback

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Connelly led off with a single. Pinch-hitter Andy Austin hit a grounder to Lowe, whose throw was wide for an error. Tayler Stiles came in to relieve Ruse. (Ruse's line: 4 ip, 3h, 2er, 1bb, 4k.) The next batter walked, putting the bases full with no one out. Linkous delivered a two-run single, and a throwing error by Lewis allowed the Seahawk runners to move to second and third. Shields hit a line drive fly out, which made the score 10-9 Maryland. Taylor Bloom relieved Stiles. Golden drew a four-pitch walk, putting the lead-run aboard. Alex Robinson came in for Maryland. Stupienski popped out, and Dick grounded out to end the inning.

The Terps grabbed an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. Kevin Biondic drew a one-out walk. Kawahara singled. Then Lowe hit a ground ball, and the shortstop's throw to complete the double play was off-target: Biondic came around to score.

In the bottom of the ninth, Robinson fanned Luke Dunlap, got Connelly to ground out, then struck out a pinch-hitter,

Ruse got the win to go 3-0, and Robinson recorded his first save of the year. The Terps moved to 8-4 overall in 2015.