NCAA baseball tournament: Wahoos rally to beat Terps 5-3

Today's pitching match-up featured Virginia's RHP Connor Jones (6-2, 2.90 era) vs. Maryland's RHP Mike Shawaryn (13-2, 1.66 era).

Pitching duel develops

The Cavaliers threatened in their half of the second. With one out, Pavin Smith sliced a single to left. On a hit and run, Robbie Coman hit a single to right. Shawaryn got out of the jam by when Joe McCarthy cued a liner that Cuas was able to snare and Kevin Doherty hit a grounder to short. Meanwhile the Terps had trouble the first time around against Jones, managing only a walk to Kevin Martir.

In the top of the fourth, Matt Thais drilled a double in the right field gap. Kenny Towns struck out and Smith grounded out to first. Coman grounded up the middle, and Kevin Smith made a nice play to throw out the runner.

After two were gone in the Maryland half of the fourth, Brandon Lowe pulled a single through the right side for the Terps' first hit. Kevin Martir skied to left to end the inning.

In the fifth, Joe McCarthy lofted a single to right. He stole second, and then went to third when the ball skipped into center field. Doherty and Brian Clement struck out. Shawaryn escaped the jam when Adam Haseley flied out to right center.

LaMonte Wade's double puts the Terps on top

Nick Cieri drew a leadoff walk, then was sacrificed to second by Papio. It was the first time the Terps had a runner in scoring position. Jose Cuas walked. Tim Lewis struck out. With Kevin Biondic up, a wild pitch advanced both runners. Biondic ended up walking to load the bases. LaMonte Wade hit a fly to left center that went off Haseley's glove for a double: Maryland was up 2-0.

The Terps flashed some leather in the sixth inning. Daniel Pinero hit a fly down the right field line that Anthony Papio laid out for to make the catch. That catch became important as Thais drew Shawaryn's first walk. The next two hitters flied out and grounded out to preserve the shutout.

Cuas led off the double by flaring a double to right. Lewis bunted Cuas to third. Biondic then laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to core Cuas. The Terps led 3-0 after seven.

Wahoos pound out five runs to take the lead

In the Wahoo eighth, Pinero stroked a one-out single. Thaiss followed with a single past the diving Lowe. That brought in Kevin Mooney to pitch for the Terps. Kenny Towns singled in Virginia's fist run. Smith then laced a single to second to close the score to 3-2. (Shawaryn's final line: 7.1 ip, 7h, 2r, 1bb, 5so.) A wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position. Coman grounded back to Mooney, and the runners had to hold up. McCarthy was issued an intentional walk. Doherty hit  shot out to left center that Wade leaped for, but couldn't reach. It was a bases clearing double, and Virginia led 5-3.

Josh Sborz came in the bottom of the eighth to try to save the game for Virginia. Smith singled to center, and then went to second when Pinero's throw back to the pitcher went awry. Lowe was HBP, but the umpire ruled that Lowe leaned into the ball. The replays showed that Lowe was indeed HBP. He ended up lining out to left. Martir flied out for the second out, and Cieri lined out to right.

Rob Galligan pitched the ninth for the Terps. He retired the side in order.

The Terps had three more outs left. Papio struck out. Cuas then hit a rope but right at the shortstop. Lewis struck out to end the game.

Kevin Mooney took the loss to fall to 3-1. The Terps now have to win the next two games in order to make it to Omaha.