Maryland Edges No. 23 Miami, 5-4, in Series Finale
March 18, 2007
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – – Maryland’s Kevin Biringer tied a career-high with six strikeouts and the Terrapins held off a late rally by No. 23 Miami to salvage the final game of the three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series, 5-4, Sunday afternoon at Mark Light Field. Blake Tekotte led the Hurricanes (14-10, 2-4 ACC) going 3-for-4 with an RBI while Jason Hagerty finished 1-for-4 with two RBI for Miami which won its first ACC series of the season.
Miami starter Enrique Garcia (1-2) was sattled with the loss despite striking out a career-high six in six innings. He four-hit the Terrapins and held them to one unearned run. Danny Gil gave up one unearned run in 2 2/3 innings.
A.J. Casario went 2-for-3 with one RBI for the Terrapins (13-7, 3-3 ACC) while Steve Braun – the brother of former Miami third baseman Ryan Braun – added two RBI. Biringer scattered four hits over 6 1/3 innings. He allowed two earned runs. Brett Cecil came on in relief to pitch the final 1 1/3 innings for his sixth save of the season.
Miami came within one run in the bottom of the seventh. A one-out single from Ryan Jackson and single to right field from Kevin Diego put runners in scoring position. Hagerty laced a two-run single to left field to make it, 4-2. Roger Tomas’ base-hit brought in Diego, but Hagerty was caught in a rundown and tagged out as UM trailed 4-3.
Maryland took a 5-3 lead in the top of the eighth. An infield single and an error gave the Terrapins runners with one out. Dan Benick then walked to load the bases before Braun drew another walk to score a run giving the Terrapins a two-run lead.
Chris Petralli’s two-out pinch-hit single started another rally for UM in the bottom of the eighth. Jackson followed with a walk. Tekotte’s third hit of the game scored pinch-runner Nick Freitas pulling UM within, 5-4, but Cecil got Diego to pop up to second base to end the threat.
The Terrapins took advantage of two Miami errors to go ahead, 1-0, in the top of the third. Braun reached on a throwing error, stole second and advanced to third after an errant throw by the catcher. He scored on A.J. Casario’s double to left center.
Miami will now take the mid-week off before continuing a tough stretch in the month of March next weekend. The Hurricanes travel to No. 7 Virginia next weekend. Game times are 6 p.m., 1 p.m. and 12 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sunday’s game will be televised live on CSS.
Series Notes: Miami hit .346 in the series which included a season-high 18 hits in the first game of the series … Freshman shortstop Ryan Jackson led UM in the series hitting .636 while going 7-for-11 with four runs, two doubles and five RBI … Freshman catcher Jason Hagerty and sophomore center fielder Blake Tekotte each went 5-for-10 with three RBI … Miami’s pitching posted a 2.33 ERA. UM’s starting rotation of Eric Erickson, Scott Maine and Enrique Garcia kept Maryland to two earned runs on 15 hits … Erickson had a career-high 11 strikeouts as he six-hit Maryland through seven innings … Tekotte turned in a great week for Miami as he went 8-for-15 with two runs scored and four RBI … Miami out-hit Maryland, 50-33.
