The Dirty Terps scored six runs in the first and seventh innings, beating James Madison, 19-12, winning their second mid-week game in a row.
The Terps quickly turned around from Tuesday’s, 15-8, victory over George Washington, welcoming James Madison to College Park on Wednesday. The Dukes entered the mid-week matchup losers of three-straight. The Dukes were held to just nine total runs during their three straight losses, losing their weekend series to Southern Miss.
The starting pitching matchup featured two pitchers who are accustomed to coming in from the bullpen. Maryland lefty Andrew Johnson made his first start of the season after eight prior appearances, all in relief. The Dukes’ sent Kevin Scully to the bump for his second start of the season.
Johnson’s start hit an immediate speed bump, as the starter got hit around for three runs in the first inning. Johnson walked the first batter of the game on four pitches then a single by Mason Dunaway put two runners on for Fenwick Trimble. Trimble hit his seventeenth double of the year to left center, scoring both runners. Trimble would score on an RBI groundout from Kyle Novak to score the third run of the inning.
Scully’s start didn’t go any better. Scully couldn’t get out of the first inning getting just one out in his outing. Scully gave up four hits and four earned runs in his appearance, including a three-run homer to Ian Petrutz.
“A couple at-bats that really stood out to me in the game was Luke Shliger banging the first pitch of the game right back through the middle and got us rolling again,” said head coach Rob Vaughn. “Then obviously Ian gets the homer in the first and it was kind of off to the races with a six spot.”
Matt Kleinfelter replaced Scully on the mound with a runner at second and four runs already on the board. Kleinfelter’s first matchup was against Elijah Lambros, who took the new pitcher deep to left field, scoring the last two runs of the inning. The Terps led, 6-3, after one.
Andrew Johnson’s day ended in the top of the second after allowing the first two batters he faced to reach safely. Tommy Kane came on to pitch getting Maryland out of the inning, allowing only one run to cross the plate. The Terps got the run back in the bottom half of the inning with a solo homer from Eddie Hacopian.
The ball continued to fly out of the park in the third. James Madison catcher Jason Schiavone blasted his fifth homer of the season, a three-run shot. The long fly ball soared right over the picture of the number three jersey in left center, tying the game, 7-7.
Just like they did in the bottom of the first Maryland responded by taking the lead right back. Kevin Keister started the two run bottom of the third with a one out walk flipping the lineup back to the top. A Luke Shliger fly out brought up Nick Lorusso who hammered a line drive to right center.
The hit was a two-out RBI double, Lorusso’s fourteenth double of the season. The Dukes’ second error of the game allowed Lorusso to score from second, giving the Terps a two run advantage.
Maryland added four more to the total in the bottom of the fourth. The runs came via an RBI walk from Luke Shliger and a three RBI triple from Lorusso, both coming with two outs.
The Terps four inning scoring streak was snapped in the bottom of the fifth when Sean Culkin pitched a clean inning, holding the Terps scoreless for the first time in the game.
The Dukes added a run in both the fifth and sixth innings, cutting their deficit to four. Nigel Belgrave started the seventh inning for Maryland and stopped the James Madison two inning scoring streak.
The Terps repeated their scoring totals from the first inning putting up a six spot in the bottom of the seventh. Elijah Lambros hit his second home run of the game, a three-run shot to center. Lorusso increased his RBI total to six, and Hacopian notched another RBI to his game total in the inning making the score, 19-9.
“A lot of contributions from a lot of different places. Hacopian was outstanding tonight, he was really really good tonight had a good day yesterday too,” said Vaughn. “Elijah Lambros was outstanding, Nick Lorusso right in the middle of that.”
A Dukes’ three-run homer in the top of the eighth ended the scoring for both teams as David Falco Jr. came in and shut the door in the top of the ninth.
The Terps had a really strong offensive day racking up 15 hits and nine walks to go along with their 19 runs. Maryland had six extra base hits, four of them home runs. The Terps continued their hot hitting from Tuesday, totaling 34 runs in their two midweek games this week.
“When they’re all firing on all cylinders you score nineteen like you did tonight,” said Vaughn. “Guys pick each other up and I just thought it was just a really consistent approach, a really relentless approach.”
Maryland will be back in action against Purdue starting on Friday.
