May 31, 2014

Terps End Gamecocks’ Streak

By John Whittle

Special to CollegeBaseballInsider.com

@johnmwhittle

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Maryland accomplished what 16 different teams couldn’t do in 12 years, which was knock off South Carolina in a home NCAA Tournament game. The Terrapins scored four runs in the first two innings and were able to hang on in a 4-3 victory over the Gamecocks on Saturday night at Carolina Stadium.

South Carolina had not lost in 17 NCAA Tournament games at Carolina Stadium, which dated to the 2010 season. It had been 29 games in total since the Gamecocks (43-17) lost at home in the postseason, including 12 straight wins at Sarge Frye Field with the last defeat coming to Miami in the 2002 Super Regional.

“I was really happy with the way our guys responded under some pretty duress situations,” Maryland head coach John Szefc said. “We’re really happy to be sitting where we’re sitting at this point in this Regional but it’s just a second win and we’re not here to just get two wins.”

A physical error and a mental error saw South Carolina fall behind 4-0 early in the game and failure to take advantage of runners on base in the later innings saw the comeback fall short.

While South Carolina coach Chad Holbrook gave credit to Maryland’s fight, he was disappointed in his starting pitcher’s failure to cover first base on a ground ball to the right side and a throwing error that would have ended an inning that went towards the early runs.

“We were battling our tails off each and every pitch trying to make something happen,” Holbrook said. “We had our chances. Two unearned runs on the board and lost by a run. We had opportunities at the plate. We pride ourselves on pitching and playing defense, and we did that for seven innings. In the postseason, you have to do it for nine.”

Maryland (38-21) jumped all over the hosts in the opening innings, scoring a single run off of South Carolina starting pitcher Jack Wynkoop in the first and then three more in the second. The sophomore only managed to record five outs and allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits and one strikeout.

Wynkoop didn’t get much help from his defense as a throwing error by All-SEC Defensive Team third baseman Joey Pankake with two outs allowed a pair of runs to score in the second inning.

The first-inning run was the first time the Gamecocks have faced a home deficit in NCAA play in 67 innings, which dated to June 2, 2012 against Clemson.

South Carolina was able to chip away at the Maryland lead, touching up Terrapins starting pitcher Mike Shawaryn, the ACC leader in wins this season with 10, for a run in the fourth and two more in the sixth.

Sophomore DC Arendas opened the scoring for the Gamecocks with a run-scoring single in the fourth inning and also had a sacrifice fly in the sixth for his second RBI of the game. Junior Kyle Martin drove in the other run when he doubled off the top of the right-field wall, which hit the yellow line just short of a game-tying three-run home run to cap the scoring in the sixth.

That would be all that the Gamecocks would push across as they left nine runners on base. Shawaryn picked up the win to move to 11-3, allowing three runs on five hits on 111 pitches.

The Gamecocks were able to put two runners on base with only one out in each of the final three innings but were unable to come away with a tying run. South Carolina was just 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position and 3 for 13 with runners on base.

Maryland has now won 13 of its past 15 games. Relievers Bobby Ruse and Kevin Mooney closed out the game with three hits over the final 2.2 innings. Mooney picked up his 12^th save of the season.

With runners on the corners and one out, Pankake grounded into a tailor-made 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

“I have been there before at the end of the game with a few guys on,” Mooney said. “It’s hitting spots, and it turns out that I hit a good spot and got a good ball. A nice two-hopper to second and we ended the game right on a double play.”

Added the Gamecocks’ Martin: “It was tough, but we have a good enough team to come back. We fought, scratched as hard as we could. It just didn’t go our way tonight.”

South Carolina was able to stay in the game thanks to a stellar relief performance from freshman Taylor Widener, who allowed two hits and struck out six in 6.1 innings. He threw a career high in innings and pitches with 100 on the night.

South Carolina will take on Campbell at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at Carolina Stadium in an elimination game. The winner will meet Maryland on Sunday night at 7 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN3.