FROM MARYLAND PRESS RELEASE
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Sophomore Gerry Spessard’s single in the bottom of the ninth inning scored the winning run as the Maryland baseball team defeated George Washington, 6-5, on Friday in the Terrapins’ 2007 home opener.
Maryland improved to 5-2, while the Colonials dropped to 0-4. Reliever Brett Cecil (1-1) earned the victory after pitching a scoreless ninth, while Scott Swinson (0-1) picked up the loss for GW.
On a cold and blustery afternoon at Shipley Field, both teams overcame early pitching struggles as a see-saw battle ensued. Spessard, who finished the day 2-for-5 with two RBIs, sealed the victory for the Terps in the ninth inning after the Colonials scored in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at 5-5. The game-winning run was set up by senior shortstop Dan Melvin who reached base on a throwing error, and then moved all the way to third on a passed ball.
The Colonials opened the game’s scoring with a three-run first inning, as Maryland starter Casey Baron struggled early before settling in for a five-inning no-decision. Maryland cut the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom half of the inning when Spessard singled up the middle to score freshman AJ Casario, who doubled in his first plate appearance.
Maryland took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third inning, as Casario notched his first career triple to score Mike Murphy. Melvin singled in the next at-bat, scoring Casario. Catcher Chad Durakis’ sacrifice fly scored Melvin to give the Terps a 4-3 lead.
In the fourth, designated hitter Will Greenberg doubled and scored to expand the lead to 5-3. However, the Colonials fought back with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Cecil entered in the ninth inning in relief of junior Mike Sufczynski, who pitched three innings, allowing one run on two hits. Cecil, a preseason All-American, recorded two strikeouts in the ninth to earn the sixth win in his career.
Maryland will play host to the Colonials on Saturday for a doubleheader, as Sunday’s game was moved up a day due to the threat of inclement weather. The first game will start at 11:30 a.m. from Shipley Field, with the final game of the series to start approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the day’s first game.
