Maryland baseball: Terps split DH with Illinois 2-4, 3-1

In game one Maryland could manage only three hits against RHP Cody Sedlock, who retired the last 21 Terps he faced. Mike Shawaryn was almost as good, but ran into one tough stretch after two were out in the fourth inning. Illinois got four straight hits and scored three times, which was enough for the 4-2 victory. The Terps won game two 3-1 on a dramatic three-run home run by Kevin Smith and a brilliant complete game effort by Taylor Bloom.

Game One

Each team scored a run in the first inning. Jack Yalowitz led off the Illini half of the inning by grounding a ball that Kevin Smith tried to backhand, but the ball popped out of his glove. Yalowitz stole second, and then came home after two consecutive ground outs for an unearned run. In the bottom of the inning, Smith singled through the left side, and Nick Dunn doubled to left center. Smith came home when Costes grounded out to third.

The Terps took a brief lead in the second inning. Anthony Papio walked, and Andrew Bechtold singled to right to put runners on the corners with one out. Zach Jancarski hit a comebacker to Sedlock, who in an attempt to get the double play, wheeled around and threw wildly to second. Papio scored, and the Terps led 2-1.

Mike Shawaryn had held Illinois hitless through the first three innings. After retiring the first two batters in the fourth, Shawaryn ran into some trouble. Michael Hurwitz doubled in the right field gap and Pat McInerny singled him home to tie the score. Anthony Drago singled, and then Dan Rowbottom sliced a double down the left field line to make it 4-2 Illini.

That was all Illinois could get against Shawaryn, whose final line was: 7ip, 4r, 3er, 0bb, 5k, 131tp. Hunter Parsons took over for Shawaryn in the eighth, and pitched two scoreless innings.

Unfortunately, Sedlock was virtually untouchable after the second inning, throwing seven consecutive 1-2-3 innings, and locking away the victory for the Illini.

Game Two

The Terps loaded the bases on three walks in the first inning, but Nick Cieri grounded out to end the scoring opportunity. LHP Doug Hayes continued to struggle with the strike zone in the next inning. Bechtold got a lead off walk and was bunted to second by Jancarski. He went to third on a ground out. However, he was stranded there as Nickens flied out. The Terps had now gone nine consecutive innings without a hit.

Maryland remained hitless through four innings. Not that Illinois was doing anything with their bats. Through the first five innings, the Illini had just one hit.

Finally, in the bottom of the fifth the Terps got their first hit in almost 12 innings when Nickens stroked a solid single to right. Nevertheless, he was left stranded there and the game remained scoreless.

Illinois got on the board in the seventh inning. Hurwitz hit a ball that just eluded Jancarski near the batter’s eye for a one out double. McInerney singled down the third base line, which scored Hurwutz. However, Costes’ throw nabbed McInerney trying to stretch his hit into a double. That proved to be a valuable play for the Terps as the next batter doubled. A ground out ended the top of the seventh with Illinois leading 1-0.

Maryland struck back in their half of the inning. Zach Jancarski hit a one-out single to right. Pinch hitter Danny Maynard followed with a single to left. After Nickens hit into a force play, Kevin Smith launched a three-run homer to left to put the Terps on top 3-1.

Illinois threatened in the eighth. Hammond singled to center. With two outs, Doran Turchin hit a swinging bunt. Bloom fielded the ball, but threw past Biondic, putting runners on second and third. Illinois’ leading hitter, Jason Goldstein hit a slow roller to third. Bechtold made a nifty pick and fired to first, his throw just beating Goldstein.

Bloom gave up a meaningless infield hit in the ninth, finishing off his fifth complete game with his sixth strike out. Bloom's final line: 9ip, 1r, 1er, 6h, 1bb, 6k, 101tp.

With the split the Terps stand at 25-20 overall, 10-7 in the B1G.