Maryland baseball: No. 20 Terps fall to Hoosiers 6-5

Today's first of a three-game set against the Indiana Hoosiers paired RHP Jake Kelzer (3-3, 3.04 ERA) against the Terps' Mike Shawaryn (10-0, 1.52 era). Shawaryn had not only gone undefeated so far this season, but also came into this game having thrown 20 straight scoreless innings.

However, nothing is guaranteed in baseball, especially when the strike zone is microscopic. Both teams combined for 16 walks, with a seemingly mysterious strike zone.

Shawaryn has uncharacteristic outing, but Terps' bats respond

With two outs in the first inning, Brad Hartong drilled a double to right center. Scott Donley lined the first pitch he saw into center, and suddenly Indiana was up 1-0. In the top of the third, Casey Rodrigue and Nick Ramos stroked back-to-back singles. After Hartoung flied out, Donley lofted a single that fell in for an RBI single. After Logan Sowers struck out, Craig Dedelow laced a single to right to put the Hoosiers up by three runs.

The Terps struck back in the bottom of the inning. Tim Lewis stroked a single to center. LaMonte Wade walked, as did Kevin Smith to load the bases. Brandon Lowe drove in two runs with a single to right center. Martir bunted Smith home to tie the game. In the next inning, Jose Cuas smashed his eighth home run to put the Terps up 4-3.

In the top of the fifth, Shawaryn struck out Ramos: that was Shawaryn's eighth punch out this game and 100 for the season. Hartoung then hit a lazy fly that fell in for a single. Donley hit his third single of the game, and Sowers walked. However, Shawaryn got Dedelow to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Hoosiers retake lead

In the sixth inning the Hoosiers took the lead on two unearned runs. Will Nolden walked, and was sacrificed to second. With two outs, Rodrigue got an infield hit, and stole second. Hartoung hit a grounder that Smith fielded, but his throw eluded Willie Rios. Two runs came around to score and Indiana led 5-4. Ryan Selmer relieved Shawaryn, whose line was: 5.2p, 9h, 5r, 3er, 3bb, 8so. Hartung grounded out to end the inning.

Scott Effross came in to pitch for Indiana. Cuas led off with a walk, was sacrificed to second, and then stole third. He was stranded there, as both Rios and Lewis struck out.

In the bottom of the seventh, LaMonte Wade started things by singling past the shortstop. He was sacrificed to second, and Lowe walked for the third time this game. Martir lined a single to center, but Dedelow's throw nailed Wade at the plate. Papio struck out to end the inning.

Indiana got an insurance run in their half of the eighth inning. Cangelosi led off with a walk, and was bunted to second. Zach Morris relieved Selmer. Rodrigue singled to put the Hoosiers up by two runs.

The Terps got the run back in the bottom of the inning. RHP Luke Harrison relieved Effoss. Cuas got aboard when Harrison couldn't handle a grounder hit back to him. An errant pick-off throw sent Cuas to second. Pinch hitter Kevin Biondic walked. Kawahara struck out attempting to bunt. With Lewis batting, Harrison uncorked a wild pitch. Lewis grounded out to the shortstop, with Cuas scoring. Wade walked, as did Smith to load the bases. That brought in Indiana's closer, RHP Ryan Halstead. He got Lowe to pop out to short.

Bobby Ruse pitched the ninth for Maryland, retiring the side in order.

Martir led off the bottom of the ninth by grounding out to second. Papio lined out to center. Cuas was struck out looking to end the game.

Mike Shawaryn suffered his first loss of the year to go 10-1. The Terps fell to 32-14 overall, 11-5 in the B1G.