By Megan Smedley
The Terps began a four-game west coast road trip Wednesday night in a game against UC Irvine. Tayler Stiles made his first start of season. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning. Second-baseman Nick Dunn committed his second error of the season allowing runners to advance. The Terps quickly answered in the top of the fourth. Nick Cieri chopped a double to right putting runners in scoring position. Freshman Marty Costes hit a sacrifice fly to score Dunn, tying up the score at one.
UC Irvine regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a surprise suicide squeeze. An Anteater double expanded their lead, putting UC Irvine up 4-1. In the top of the fifth, Madison Nickens sliced a triple to right scoring Andrew Bechtold and Justin Morris. Nickens scored on an error by the second baseman tying it all up at four. Stiles ran into trouble in the fifth, allowing two more runs to score before Ryan Selmer replaced him. Justin Morris was able to get a read on a bunt to get the Terps out of the inning. UC Irvine led 6-4 heading into the sixth.
Kevin Smith cut the deficit to one run after he singled to right scoring Kevin Biondic. Rob Galligan came into to pitch after Selmer allowed another run. A heads up play by Kevin Smith to get the runner out at home stopped UC Irvine from potentially blowing the game open. UC Irvine would go on to add another run in the eighth inning. The Terps were unable to rally and lost 9-5. Tayler Stiles took the loss allowing six runs (two earned) on nine hits, while striking out two. Madison Nickens was strongest at the plate for the Terps going 1-3 with two RBIs.
With this loss, Maryland falls to 7-9 for the season. The team will face off in a weekend series against Cal St3ate Fullerton. Last season the Terps took the series 2-1 but not before Stiles suffered a season-ending injury when he took a line drive to the face. Mike Shawaryn will be on the mound Friday night for the Terps. First pitches for the weekend are at 10 p.m., 9 p.m., and 4 p.m.
