COLUMBIA, S.C. - Maryland scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, including back-to-back runs on bases loaded hit by pitches to rally for a 4-3 win over Old Dominion Friday afternoon in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament. ODU will play Campbell, a 5-2 loser to South Carolina on Saturday at 1 p.m in an elimination game. Listen to the game live on STAR1310 AM with Ted Alexander and Doug Ripley providing the play-by-play.
CHRIS FINWOOD QUOTES
"It's just a tough way to lose, back-to-back hit batters. It was a good ball game and you have to give them, Maryland credit for fighting back. I though our guys did a pretty good job against Stinnett. He's awfully good and we had some big hits, from Mike Perez and Tyler Urps in particular. You know, it felt like we had done enough to win the ballgame, but you have to play nine innings, not eight. we just didn't finish it up. Our bullpen has been very good for us throughtout the season and today they didn't get it done, and unfortunately that happens in baseball, and it was a tough time for it to happen to us."
"I told the guys first of all to make sure they pick Brad Gero up. He's such an amazingly, wonderful kid and he's been picking us up all year. He set the school record for most appearances, and leads the league in saves and it was just a bad day for him. But that's baseball and he'll be back out there tomorrow if we have the lead late. We haven't lost more than two games in a row all year and we play great when our backs are against the wall. So, I told them, go shower and wash this one off, and come back out and watch and see who we're
going to play tomorrow."
ODU led 3-1 heading into the ninth but the Terrapins scored three in the ninth, as Charlie White hit an RBI single which brought home Kyle Convissar to make it a 3-2 game. Then Brandon Lowe was hit by a pitch from Brad Gero with the bases loaded to force in Kevin Martir with the game tying run. Jose Cuas followed and was also hit with a pitch to bring in Charlie White with the winning run for Maryland.
ODU jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a RBI single from Tyler Urps which plated Michael Perez who led off the third inning with a triple.
The Monarchs made it 2-0 lead in the fifth as Ben Slaton led off with a single followed by Perez who singled moving Slaton to third. Urps followed with a dribbler down the third base line for an infield single to score Slaton.
Junior outfielder Josh Eldridge added a sacrifice fly for ODU in the sixth to bring home P.J. Higgins for a 3-0 lead off Maryland ace Jake Stinnett.
The Monarchs finished the game with seven hits led by Perez and Urps with two hits each.
Maryland was led by Jose Cuas wiht three hits.
ODU leads the series with Campbell 5-2. The Camels and ODU last played in 2013.
ODU 001 011 000=3-7-1
MD 000 000 013=4-10-1
ODU-Roberts, Yarbrough (5), Overton(8), Gero(9) and Perez
MD - Stinnett, Stiles (9) and Martir
WP: Stiles (4-2) LP: Gero (3-4)