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The Terps played in the very last game today in the opening round of the B1G tournament. Earlier, Michigan, Iowa, and Illinois were victorious. In tonight's game, Michigan State sent out LHP Cam Veaux (4-6, 3.24 era) to face Maryland's Mike Shawaryn (11-2, 1.68 era). Target Field is huge. It's 339 down the lines, 377 & 403 in the power alleys, and 411 to dead center. No one gets a cheap home run here.
The Spartans scored in the third. With one out Cam Gibson blooped a single to center. He stole second, and then came home on a double down the third base line by Mark Weist. The Terps managed only an infield single by Kengo Kawahara in the first three innings, despite hitting the ball hard. In the bottom of the fourth, thy got a bit of help from MSU. Kevin Smith hit a grounder that the third baseman booted. Brandon Lowe singled, putting Terps on the corners with no outs. After Kevin Martir struck out, Jose Cuas hit a dribbler that enabled Smith to score.
Smith's single gives Terps the lead
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Gibson sliced a single to left. Ryan Krill walked, bringing Weist up to bat: Weist had hit two doubles off Shawaryn this game. But Shawaryn recorded his sixth strike out to end the theat. In the bottom of the inning, Nick Cieri led off with a single. After Kawahara struck out, Kevin Biondic singled through the left side. Smith's single through the middle put the Terps up 2-1.
Neither team scored in the sixth or seventh innings. In the top of the eighth, Kevin Mooney came in to pitch. Shawaryn's line: 7 ip, 6 h, 1 r, 2 bb, 9 so. Mooney pitched a scoreless eighth. In the bottom of the inning, Lowe lined a single to left center. Martir sacrificed Lowe to second, and Cuas was intentionally walked. When Anthony Papio was HBP the bases were loaded. However, Cieri hit a ball right at the second baseman, who tagged the runner and threw on to first for the double play.
So the Terps clung to a 2-1 lead heading to the ninth inning. It didn't matter: Mooney set down the side in order.
Mike Shawaryn moved to 12-2, the 12th win being a new Maryland single season record. Kevin Mooney earned his sixth save. Maryland is now 37-20 on the season.
On Thursday at 10:00 p.m. EDT the Terps will play #1 seed Illinois, who currently have a 27-game winning streak afloat.