Maryland baseball holds off Bryant 8-6 to take series

Maryland got a third straight strong effort from their starting pitcher and survived a late scare by Bryant on route to a 8-6 victory on Sunday. With the win, the Terps took the series between the two teams. Nick Dunn had three hits and Justin Morris' bases-clearing double in the fifth inning helped the Terps put up a five run inning to pull away from the Bulldogs.

In the three-game series, the Terrapin starting pitchers limited Bryant to five earned runs on just 15 hits in 23 innings.

Nick Dunn went 7-16 in the three games to raise his average to a team high of .429.

The game was marred by a rain delay that should have been called after eight innings, Instead the umps continued play until it became absurd not to halt it. That initial bone-headed decision almost cost Maryland the game.

Terps go out in front via hits by Dunn and Costes

In the bottom of the first, Madison Nickens and Nick Dunn hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with one out. After Nick Cieri fanned, Marty Costes singled through the middle to give the Terps 1 -0 lead.

After breezing through the first two innings, Shaffer gave up a run in the Bryant third. Joe Paparelli singled, and Matt Albanese got aboard on an error. With two outs, Bryant's leading hitter, Robby Rinn singled in an unearned run.

The Terps stormed back in their half of the third. Nickens got aboard via an error by second baseman Cole Fabio. After Nickens stole second (only the Terps' seventh stolen base all year), Dunn doubled to the opposite field. Cieri hit a ground out that allowed Dunn to take third. Costes hit a fly to right that wasn't too deep, but Dunn was able to tag up for the Terps' 3^rd run of the game.

Bryant scored a single run in the fifth. Paparelli walked and was sacrificed to second. With two outs, Albanese fisted a short fly that fell in for a base hit, pulling Bryant within a run of Maryland.

Morris' bases-clearing double helps Terps put up a five-run inning

Bryant didn't have long time to feel confident as the Terps put up a crooked number in their half of the fifth inning. Dunn lined a single, his third hit of the game, to start things off. Cieri followed with a single to right, with Dunn taking third. RHP Craig Lacey came on to pitch for Bryant. He threw a wild pitch that scored Dunn and sent Cieri to second. Costes walked. One out later Anthony Papio stroked a single to load the bases. A single by Andrew Bechtold made it 5-2 Terrapins. After falling behind 0-2 in the count, Justin Morris worked the count full before lining a double down the left field line. All three men aboard scored, making it 8-2 Terps.

Bryant doesn't go down easy but rain comes down hard

Shaffer threw 1-2-3 innings in the sixth and seventh. His final line: 7ip, 2r, 1er, 5h, 1bb, 6k, 97tp. Senior LHP Rob Galligan came in to pitch in the eighth as the rain started to come down. He walked and hit a batter, sandwiched around a fly out. Ryan Selmer came in to pitch. He struck out the next batter, but McCarthy was able to get aboard on an error. The bases were loaded as the rain came down even heavier. However Selmer got A J Zarzony to ground out to Dunn.

The rain was coming down heavy, and the game should have been put in a rain delay. That wasn't initially the case, and it almost cost Maryland the game. Leading off the ninth, pinch hitter Mickey Gasper went yard to cut the Maryland lead to 8-3. Dan Cellucci legged out an infield hit. Tayler Stiles came in to pitch for Maryland. Paparelli attempted a bunt that Stiles misplayed and runners were on first and second. Cole Fabio hit a hard grounder past third base for an RBI double. Albanese singled to right field and Bryant now trailed by just 8-6 with no one out. Rinn singled through the middle, and junior RHP Mike Rescigno came in for the Terrapins. After a pitch to Brandon Bingel,, Morris threw down to first and got the Bulldogs in a rundown. Albanese was tagged out with Rinn taking second base. At last the umps finally postponed the game with a 3-2 count on Bingel. The game resumed after a rain delay of around 40 minutes. Bingel flew out to center field, as well as the next batter to end the game.

Brian Shaffer notched his first win of the season to even his record at 1-1. Mike Rescigno gets his first save of 2016. Overall, the Terps are 7-8. Tomorrow the team flies out to California for a midweek game against Cal-Irvine before a crucial three-game series against nationally ranked Cal State Fullerton.

Three things to know:

1. The Terrapin starting pitchers went deep in all three games this weekend: Shawaryn pitched seven innings Friday, Bloom had a complete game on Saturday, and Shaffer threw seven innings today. Given how much the bullpen was used in earlier midweek games, it was good to give them a rest.

2. Bryant is legit, and taking a series from them is more impressive than doing the same against Rhode Island. The Bulldogs came into College Park with their best start ever at the D1 level, and players like James Karinchak, Logan Lessard, and Robby Rinn might be playing at the next level.

3. The umps should have postponed the game before the ninth started. The rain was coming down hard and pitchers were having trouble keeping their footing. It was an umpiring mistake that almost caused the Terps the game.