Maryland baseball scores twice in the 9th to beat Notre Dame 4-3

In a game where a questionable call threatened to spoil a sterling outing by Brian Shaffer, Maryland baseball rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth to notch its second win of the year, 4-3 over Notre Dame. The Terps were helped by a key Notre Dame error, and some Irish control problems, before Brandon Gum’s third hit of the game tied the score. After falling behind 0-2, Danny Maynard drove in Nick Dunn on a sac fly.

Andrew Miller, Ryan Hill, and Ryan Selmer threw three scoreless innings in relief, not allowing a hit and striking out four batters.

Terps take early lead, Shaffer cruising

The Terps jumped up on top in their first at bat. Zach Jancarski flared a single to right, and came home when Nick Cieri shot a double into right field. The Terps’ nemesis this season, a fielding miscue, almost let Notre Dame charge back in the bottom of the frame. Jake Johnson hit a high popup that Cieri dropped. Kyle Fiala hit a double down the third base line to put runners on second and third with no outs. However, Shaffer escaped by getting a shallow fly, strike out, and a groundout.

Runs were scarce after that, as both starting pitchers were effective. The Terps had a chance to score in their half of the sixth. Brandon Gum singled and moved to second on a wild pitch, but two popups and a strike out left him there.

Maryland got a run in the top of the seventh courtesy of the Irish walking three batters. AJ Lee knocked a one out single up the middle and Jancarski walked. After a fly out, the Terps executed a double steal. Marty Costes was intentionally walked to load up the bases. Gum fell behind 1-2 before working an RBI walk. Cieri fanned, but the Terps now led 2-0.

A questionable call helped Notre Dame put up a big inning

The wheels came off in the bottom of the seventh. Daniel Jung lined a leadoff single, then Jake Shepski singled to left. After twice failing to bunt, Ryan Lidge lifted a towering fly ball down the right field line. Costes hit the fence while trying to catch the ball, dropping the fly for a two-base error. Costes motioned that while the ball popped out, he maintained control of it. Szefc came out to argue, but to no avail. Jung scored, and runners were on second and third with no outs. Andrew Miller relieved Shaffer. A ground out brought in the second Notre Dame run. Johnson laid down a safety squeeze, and the throw home was a bit late: Notre Dame led 3-2.

Maryland rallies for two runs in the ninth

With one out in the top of the ninth, Jancarski hit a towering pop up that was dropped by the first baseman. Nick Dunn drew a four-pitch walk. With Costes batting, a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Costes was intentionally walked to load the bases. Gum singled to tie the score, his third hit of the game. Pinch hitter Danny Maynard hit a sac fly to left to give Maryland the lead 4-3.

Ryan Selmer took the hill for the Terps in the bottom of the inning. He hurled a 1-2-3 inning to get his first save of the year. Ryan Hill got the win, and the Terps move to 2-5 on the season.

The Terps will take on No. 6 NC State in the second game of the three-game Irish Classic Tournament on Saturday.