COLLEGE PARK, Md.– Freshman lefthander Andrew Robinson earned his first win of his career as he scattered six hits over seven innings to lead the University of Maryland (25-21) to an 11-3 non-conference victory over the Tigers (21-22) at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
For the second time in six days, the Terps took advantage of control problems by Towson pitchers to pull out the win. Maryland was the recipient of seven walks while four Terps reached base when hit by pitches. Four of those players who received free passes came around to score. Last Wednesday, the Terrapins took advantage of 11 walks and four hit batters by Towson pitching to edge the Tigers, 16-15.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. With one out, sophomore first baseman Brendan Butler drew a walk. Junior shortstop Hunter Bennett drove in the first run of the game when he doubled to left centerfield, scoring Butler from first base. However, Robinson pitched out of the inning by striking out Kurtis Voytell and Zach Fisher.
The Terrapins came back and tied the score in the bottom of the second inning. Third baseman Kevin Martir drew a leadoff walk and went to second base on a sacrifice bunt by leftfielder Anthony Papio. When designated hitter Andrew Amaro was hit by a pitch, Maryland had two runners on base. After catcher Jack Cleary was retired on a pop-up, shortstop Blake Schmit singled to right, driving in the tying run. Junior lefthander Kyle Paul pitched out of the inning when second baseman Jose Cuas hit a fly ball to left.
In the bottom of the third, Maryland took a 2-1 lead with an unearned run. After centerfielder Charlie White led off with a single, he reached second base on a sacrifice bunt by rightfielder Jordan Hagel. First baseman LaMonte Wade reached base on a walk to put two runners on base. Martir reached base on a force play but an error by Butler enabled White to score. Paul struck out Papio to end the inning.
The Terrapins added two more runs in the fourth inning. Amaro led off with a bunt single. When Cleary sacrificed, an error by Paul gave Maryland two runners on base. A sacrifice by Schmit put both runners in scoring position. After Cuas popped out to second base, White delivered an RBI single to centerfield, scoring Amaro. Hagel followed with an RBI double to left, scoring Cleary to give Maryland a 4-1 lead. However, leftfielder Peter Bowles and Bennett teamed up on a relay that nailed White trying to score from first base.
Meanwhile, Robinson settled into a groove. He retired seven Tigers in a row as Maryland came up to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Paul was relieved by freshman righthander Joe Patton and he ran into trouble immediately. Wade led off with a single and stole second base. A walk to Martir gave Maryland two runners on base with no outs. When Papio bunted the runners into scoring position, there was one out. It looked like Patton might escape the inning when Amaro grounded back to the pitcher for the second out. However, a walk to Cleary loaded the bases. When Patton hit Schmit with a 3-2 pitch, another run scored and Patton was out of the game.
Sophomore righthander Christian Duclos relieved Patton and gave up a three-run double to Cuas, who lined the ball down the left field line, upping the Terps' lead to 8-1. Hagel popped up to end the inning.
The Tigers threatened in the top of the sixth inning when junior Kurt Wertz and pinch hitter Brandon Gonnella led off with back-to-back singles. However, Anderson struck out the next two hitters and retired Bennett on a fly ball to end the inning.
Maryland added another run in the sixth inning as Martir was hit by a pitch with one out, went to third base on a single by Papio and scored when Amaro grounded out, upping the lead to 9-1.
The Terrapins added a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Martir singled to centerfield. When pinch hitter Matt Bosse was hit by a pitch and Amaro drew a walk, the Terps had the bases loaded. Third baseman K.J. Hockaday lifted a fly ball to rightfield but Blosser made an error as two runs scored. Amaro was trapped in a rundown between second and third for the second out. Schmit grounded out to end the rally.
Trailing by 11-1 in the ninth inning, the Tigers rallied to try and cut into their deficit. Bennett and Voytell opened the inning with back-to-back singles before a bunt single by Blosser loaded the bases. A bases-loaded walk to Fisher drove in a run to make it an 11-2 deficit. When junior second baseman Pat Fitzgerald hit a sacrifice fly, the Tigers trailed by 11-3. However, Gonnella grounded into a game-ending double play.
Each team had nine hits in the game. Bennett and Fitzgerald each had two hits while White led Maryland with a pair of hits.
The Tigers return to action on Wednesday evening when they visit UMBC for a 6:30 game.
