May 4, 2014
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Notre Dame baseball team jumped out to a 2-0 lead for the second game in a row, but the Maryland Terrapins rebounded with three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to claim a 3-2 victory and complete the series sweep of the Irish at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The Irish held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning after scoring a run each in the third and fifth innings. Notre Dame’s first run came after junior Robert Youngdahl led off the third inning with a double down the right-field line. Later in the frame with Youngdahl on third, freshman Kyle Fiala hit a slow grounder up the middle that easily allowed his teammate to cross the dish. Notre Dame added to its lead in the fifth inning as an infield single to the left side by junior Kevin DeFilippis allowed freshman Cavan Biggio to come home from third and give Notre Dame a 2-0 lead. Biggio got on base with a walk and then advanced to third on a sac bunt and a fly out.
However, the lead wouldn’t hold as Maryland scored a pair of runs in the fifth off relief pitcher Scott Kerrigan to tie the game. The inning started on a sour note as a Fiala throw pulled first baseman Phil Mosey off the bag and allowed catcher Kevin Martir to safely advance to first. Later in the frame, first baseman LaMonte Wade made the Irish pay for the error as he doubled down the right-field line to score Martir. A couple of batters later, Blake Schmit singled through the right side to score Wade. Kerrigan left the game after pitching 2.1 innings and giving up two runs (none earned) on five hits and a walk. Kerrigan replaced Irish starter Ryan Smoyer (2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 SO), who was making his second start of his career.
The game clincher came in the sixth inning as right fielder Anthony Papio took a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall off Irish reliever Donnie Hissa (1-4) to give the Terps their first lead of the game. That would be Hissa’s only mistake of the game as he went 3.1 innings and gave up just two hits.
Notre Dame had few chances to score more runs as the Irish produced just five hits and left only three runners on base. In the ninth, the Irish did get a runner to second on a two-out double from junior Blaise Lezynski, but a groundout soon after ended the Notre Dame comeback threat.
Sunday’s loss was the final one in a disappointing series that saw the Irish get swept after scoring just four runs on 13 hits in 27 innings. In another frustrating setback, Notre Dame fell to 4-13 overall and 1-9 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in one-run contests this season and have lost six straight.
Notre Dame (17-30, 4-20 ACC) returns to action next weekend when they play host to ACC foe Clemson at 7:30 p.m. (ET) Friday on ESPNU.
–Russell Dorn, Assistant Media Relations Director
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