Maryland baseball was down to its final four outs, trailing Wake Forest 5-3 in the eighth inning. Then the Terrapins’ bats awoke in a big way, with a six-run rally that flipped the game’s outcome. As a result, Maryland remains alive in the NCAA tournament with a 10-5 win over Wake Forest in Sunday’s elimination game in the College Park region.
Wake Forest starter Teddy McGraw kept Maryland’s bats at bay for the most part for six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) while striking out seven and walking two on 99 pitches.
Meanwhile, Maryland’s starting pitcher Nick Dean grinded out 5 ⅔ innings allowing five runs (four earned) off seven hits and two home runs. Dean struck out seven as well. But, Wake Forest seized control of the game with a 5-2 lead going into the seventh.
Maryland was down to final four outs before survival rally
It was 5-3 in the eighth with two outs when Maryland dug deep and rattled the Demon Deacons’ bullpen.
Maryland freshman Ian Petrutz drew a five-pitch walk. Then the floodgates opened. Bobby Zmarziak tied the game with a home run over the left field wall.
Wake’s switch to reliever Gabe Golob couldn’t stop the Maryland flood of runs. Following a Kevin Keister walk, Luke Shliger gave Maryland the 6-5 lead with an RBI-double to score Keister. Then Big Ten Player of the Year Chris Alleyne bust the game open with a two-run home run, extending the Terps lead to 8-5.
Tony Schreffler Jr. put a bow on the six-run rally in the eighth with an RBI-double after back-to-back walks.
Petrutz put the finishing touches on the day with a solo homer in the ninth. All nine Maryland Terrapins reached base. Eight recorded hits, and eight scored a run.
Wake Forest couldn’t muster much of an offense in the final three innings. That’s despite getting back-to-back two-out singles in the eighth. Maryland reliever David Falco closed the door striking out seven over the course of 3 ⅓ innings, including whiffing the side in the ninth to stamp the Terps’ win.
The top-seed in the College Park region, Maryland (47-13) will now face No. 3 seed Connecticut in a showdown Sunday night. Maryland must win to force a winner-take-all game Monday. UConn defeated Maryland 10-5 on Saturday night. Undefeated thus far in the region, the Huskies just need one win to advance to the Super Regionals.
