Maryland baseball: No. 17 Terps beat Mountaineers in 12-7 shootout

The Mountaineers sent out freshman RHP Shane Ennis (1-0, 0.69 era) to face the Terrapins' Bobby Ruse (4-1, 5.19 era).

Terps in familiar position: down early by multiple runs

Taylor Munden took Ruse's second pitch over the left-center field wall for his eighth home run this season. One out later Shaun Wood doubled off the wall in left and Brad Johnson was issued a walk. But a 5-4-3 double play ended the Mountaineer first. Things went much better for Ruse in the second inning, as he struck out the side.

Ruse retired the first two WVU batters in the third inning, but then trouble occurred. Justin Fox doubled with two outs, and he was brought home by a single off the bat of Shaun Wood. The Mountaineers led 2-0.

The Terps went hitless through the first 2.2 innings. Kevin Smith connected on a pitch for his third home run of the season to cut the WVU lead in half.

Jackson Cramer led off the top of the fourth with a double. He went to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, KC Huth was intentionally walked. That brought in Ryan Selmer for the Terrapins. He got Cam O'Brien to pop out to Justin Morris, but the dangerous Munden hit a single through the middle for a 3-1 Mountaineer lead. The next batter lined out to Brandon Lowe to end the WVU fourth.

Terps in familiar position: huge inning gives Maryland the lead

Anthony Papio and Tim Lewis hit back-to-back singles to start the Terrapin fourth. Jamal Wade hit a rope to left field for a single that Johnson misplayed. The ball rolled to the wall, with Papio and Lewis scoring, and Wade making it into third. Morris hit a deep fly that allowed Wade to score, putting the Terps on top 4-3. Kengo Kawahara walked. At that point RHP Jeff Hardy relieved Ennis. Lowe singled to put runners on first and second. Smith walked, bringing up the hot hitting Martir. He smoked the first pitch for a double, making the score 6-3. (Smith was nipped at the plate trying to score.) Cuas also doubled, upping the Terrapin lead to 7-3. Papio, batting for the second time this inning, cracked Maryland's third consecutive double for to give the Terps a five run lead.

Things get too close for comfort, until Terps break it open in the eighth

Jared Price took the bump for Maryland in the sixth. After Huth and O'Brien were given base on balls, Taylor Bloom was brought in to try to quell the threat. Bloom struck out Munden, but Justin Fox's single to center loaded the bases. Wood hit a sacrifice fly to cut the Terrapin lead to 8-4. Fortunately, Johnson lined a pitch that Papio was able to grab for the third out.

The Terps got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Martir homered down the left field line (fifth of the season). It was his third hit as well as third RBI on the day.

The seventh inning started the same as the sixth, with back-to-back lead-off walks: they were the seventh and eighth given up by Maryland pitchers. Ray Guerrini singled to load the bases. A double play scored a run, but then O'Brien hit a blast over the right field wall to make it 9-7. Bloom struck out the next two batters.

Zach Morris came on in relief to start the eighth. It was the first time this year that the Norris brothers were battery-mates. WVU went down in order.

In the bottom of the eighth Kawahara walked. Lowe then punched his eighth home run on the season to make the score 11-7. Smith followed with a double, and then stole third base. He scored on Martir's sac fly: the Terps led 12-7. Cuas doubled, but was picked off second. Papio then hit another double, his second and the team's sixth of the game.

Alex Robinson pitched the ninth. Although he issued Maryland's ninth and tenth walks of the game, he also struck out the side.

Ryan Selmer got the win to improve to 3-0 on the year. The Terps won their fifth straight game and are 11-0 at home. Overall, the Terps are 23-7.