Terrapins' Five-Run Seventh Decides Delaware’s Fate, Blue Hens Fall to Maryland 8-0
March 8, 2011
Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell
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• Boxscore
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - - Eight hits were not enough to produce a run for the University of Delaware baseball team, as a five run bottom of the eighth put the game away for Maryland, as they shutout the Blue Hens, 8-0, on Tuesday afternoon at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.
It is the first time since the 1993 season that Delaware (3-9) has been shut out in back to back games. They dropped a pair to North Atlantic Conference rival Drexel on May 2, 4-0 and 2-0 in conference double-header. It is only the sixth time in program history the Blue Hens were shutout in back-to-back games, dating back to the team’s first season in 1882.
Maryland used five different pitchers on the afternoon, but was able to move to 8-4 on the season scoring the eight runs on 11 hits. The Terrapins ended an eight game home stand with a 7-1 mark.
The game was close until the final three frames, as the Blue Hens trailed 1-0 after the third. Maryland would not score again until the seventh inning.
The Blue Hens had a great opportunity to strike first against the Terrapins, as sophomore DJ Long singled up the middle to lead off the game. Pat Dameron followed just two pitches later with a single to center, putting the first two runners on base with no outs. But Maryland starter Chuck Ghysels got Steve Ulaky, Chris Branigan and Hank Yates in successive order, leaving Long and Dameron on second and third to end the threat.
The Terrapins got on the board in the third with an unearned run. But it was an error that pitcher that led to his own unearned run. After starter Dan Gatto walked Alfredo Rodriguez with one out, he attempted to keep Rodriquez close at first, but an errant throw allowed the runner to advance to third. Tomo Delp hit a hard grounder up the middle, and Long was able to knock it down and keep it in the infield, but could not get the out at first, as Rodriguez came across to score.
Maryland had a chance to widen the score in the bottom half of the fourth, but a double play on a play at the plate saved Blue Hen starter Dan Gatto, and kept the game at 1-0. Gatto pegged Jordan Hagel to load the bases with one out. Jack Cleary hit a short fly ball towards the line in right, but Nick Ferdinand came on to make the catch, and fired home to Aaron Mascoe (above right) to gun down Padula at the plate.
With the score still knotted at 1-0, the game got away from the Blue Hens in the seventh. White doubled to lead of the inning, and promptly scored on a throwing error by reliever Matt Harden as Hagel was attempting a sacrifice bunt. Now with the bases loaded and two outs, Ryan Holland cleared the bases with his first triple of the season. Holland would later come home to score on a balk by Stephen Richter to extend the lead to 6-0.
The home team tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the eighth; with a couple of bases loaded singles put the Terrapins up 8-0, closing the book on the score.
Mascoe led the Blue Hens offensively ending the afternoon 2-for-3, belting his team leading fifth double with two outs in the second. Long was the only other Blue Hen to register more than one hit, as he finished 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.
Gatto was saddled with his first decision in a Blue Hen uniform, falling to 0-1. Gattoe pitched four effective innings, giving up one run (zero earned) on four hits. He struck out two Maryland batters. Jim Reed pitched through the fifth inning for the Terrapins, earning the win and moving to 1-1 on the season.
The Blue Hens look to rebound quickly, as they host George Mason this weekend in both teams Colonial Athletic Association opener. First pitch on Friday is schedule for 3 p.m. at Bob Hannah Stadium.
AGATE:
Delaware………. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 8 2
Maryland………. 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 2 X – 2 11 0
E – Gatto (1); Harden (1). DP – Delaware 1; Maryland 3. LOB – Delaware 6, Maryland 8. 2B – Mascoe (5) Ulaky (4), White 3 (4). 3B – Halland (1). HBP – Stinnett; Hagel. SH – Cleary (3). SB – Dameron (2).
Win – Jimmy Reed (1-1). Loss – Dan Gatto (0-1). Save - None.
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