Maryland baseball: Spartans edge Terps 4-3 in 13 innings

In the second of three games against Michigan State, Maryland and the Spartans battled back and forth for 12 innings. In the 13th, Matt Byar's sacrifice fly brought home the winning run for Michigan State, who took the game by a 4-3 score.

Papio on fire at the plate

The first two innings of the game were frustrating. Anthony Papio led off the game by hitting a double off the right center field wall, but the Terps couldn’t bring him home. In the second inning Nick Cieri doubled with two away but was stranded. Conversely, Michigan State wasn’t crushing the ball but they grabbed an early lead. In the bottom of the second Dan Chmielewski got aboard via a throwing error by Andrew Bechtold, and went to second on a hit-and-run grounder to Nick Dunn. A ground out moved Chmielewski to third. Justin Hovis hit a grounder that Bechtold tried to backhand, but the ball glanced off his glove. The Spartans led 1-0 without the benefit of a hit.

But the Terps countered in the top of the next inning. Papio crushed a ball that just missed going out, ending up with a triple. With two outs, Nick Dunn lined a single to tie up the score.

Bechtold makes amends

Bechtold singled up the middle to start the top of the fifth, and was sacrificed to second by Zach Jancarski. Papio singled for his third hit of the game, Bechtold scoring to put the Terps on top 2-1. After Marty Costes fanned, Dunn hit a hard shot off the pitcher to put runners on first and second. The Spartans brought in sophomore RHP Jake Lowery. Both runners took off on a double steal, and Kevin Smith’s hit grounder to first baseman Jordan Zimmerman, but Lowery failed to cover the bag; Smith was credited with an infield hit and the bases were loaded. However Madison Nickens popped out to strand three Terps.

The Spartans attempted to tie the score with their brand of small ball, but were thwarted by a great play from Bechtold. Marty Bechina was HBP leading off the bottom of the fifth, and stole second. Justin Hovis bunted Bechina over to third. Royce Ando attempted a suicide squeeze that popped up, and Bechtold made an incredible diving catch, then ran back to third to double up Bechina.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Dan Durkin registered his second single of the game, the only hits thus far off of Bloom. Matt Byers followed with a single to center. The bases were loaded when Chmielewski was HBP. But the Spartans were foiled as Bloom got the next batter to line out to Jancarski.

Terrapin mishaps allow Spartans to take the lead

Michigan State went back on top in the bottom of the seventh. Hovis beat out an infield hit and went to second as Dunn’s threw was off target, rolling back to the dugout. Zach McGuire hit a slow roller to Smith. When the ball rolled away, Hovis tried to score. Smith’s throw was a bit late, and Cieri’s throw to second was offline and McGuire made it in safely. Brandon Hughes singled to center and the Spartans led 3-2. On a pitch to Jordan Zimmerman, Cieri tried to nail Hughes napping at first. Unfortunately the throw was off target and Hughes took second base. Zimmerman singled to put runners on the corners with only one away. Bloom picked Zimmerman off first, and a rundown ensued, which finally ended when Hughes was thrown out trying to score. Mike Rescigno came in for Bloom and got the last out.

The Terps tied the score in the top of the eighth. Nickens tripled to right field, and Michigan State countered by bringing in their closer, RHP Dakota Mekkes, to try for a six-out save. Biondic fisted a slow grounder to short that allowed Nickens to score and tie the game.

Game goes into extra innings

Ryan Selmer took the mound for Maryland in the bottom of the eighth and retired the side.

Walks to Papio and Dunn put two runners on with one away in the top of the ninth, but Maryland couldn't get a run across. Neither could Michigan State in the bottom of the frame, so the game went into extra innings.

Biondic hit a leadoff single, then went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Bechtold walked, so the Terps once again had runners on first and second, and for the second inning in a row the runners were stranded. But Selmer kept the Spartans scoreless through his third inning of work, and the game went to the eleventh inning.

The Terps were retired 1-2-3 in their half of the eleventh. Selmer retired the first two batters in the bottom of the eleventh before Kory Young doubled. Hughes was intentionally walked. Hunter Parsons relieved Selmer. Zimmerman walked to load the bases. However Parsons got Durkin to ground right back to him.

Neither team scored in the twelfth inning.

In the bottom of the thirteenth inning, Hughes was HBP after one was away. Zimmerman singled to right. Hughes stumbled on his way to third and was caught in a rundown. Somehow Hughes eluded the tag and Zimmerman just made it into second base. Durkin was intentionally walked to load the bases. Matt Byars hit a long fly ball to right that brought home Hughes.