Maryland Edges Indiana to Advance to Title Game

 

By Chris Webb

Special to CollegeBaseballInsider.com

 

MINNEAPOLIS – Shining its brightest, Maryland is glistening under the lights of the Big Ten Tournament.

 

Receiving another strong start from a freshman pitcher – Ryan Selmer tossed 5.2 scoreless innings – Maryland defeated Indiana in Saturday’s first semifinal 4-2, advancing to the tournament title game in their first year as a Big Ten member and putting an end to Indiana’s two-year reign.

 

“We got a great start from Ryan,” Maryland coach John Szefc said. “We turned to him because he’s a strike-thrower and he did a good job.”

 

Making only his second start of the year, Selmer quieted an Indiana offense that scored 10 runs in Friday’s elimination game, leading the team to its 11th wins in 13 games.

 

Giving the Hoosiers a heavy-dose of first pitch breaking balls and establishing his fastball on the outer-half, Selmer tried to force Indiana into weak contact.

 

“I think we have one of the best infields in the country,” the right-hander said. “If I just put it in their hands, let them make plays, I think I’ll have success.”

 

Selmer did his job and the Terrapins outfit behind him supported their starter, but Indiana junior left-hander Caleb Baragar was equally stout.

 

Working five innings, Baragar matched Selmer in scoreboard zeroes, scattering four hits in a scoreless start.

 

“I was able to throw my slider in pretty much any count today,” Baragar said of his success. “I actually had a feel for my off-speed pitch, when I’ve just kind of been struggling with it, as of late.”

 

Relieving Baragar with a scoreless sixth, right-hander Jake Kelzer was back on the bump in the seventh. Maryland DH Nick Cieri opened the inning striking out, but Cieri’s swing-and-miss third strike was on a wild pitch and allowed the Terrapin to reach first base. A walk to left fielder Kengo Kawahara put two on before a series of Indiana miscues turned the course of the game.

 

Laying down a two-strike sacrifice bunt, Maryland first baseman Kevin Biondic reached first on an errant throw by IU catcher Brad Hartong. Pinch-running for Cieri, Zach Jancarski scored the game’s first run. A second-consecutive error, a shot unable to be fielded cleanly by Indiana shortstop Nick Ramos, loaded the bases. The Terps then doubled their lead on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Kevin Smith. A second straight fielder’s choice plated Maryland’s third run before a two-out single by catcher Kevin Martir staked the team to a 4-0 lead.

 

In the four-run inning, Maryland sent nine batters to the plate, with only one ball leaving the infielder as Indiana committed three errors.

 

“The team that wins tournaments, Regionals, Super Regionals, they just execute,” Indiana coach Chris Lemonis said. “That wins in the postseason in college baseball right now, you have to pitch and defend to win right now.”

 

In the eighth, it was the Hoosiers that took advantage of a Terrapins error.

 

After Indiana first baseman Austin Cangelosi drew a leadoff walk, a pair of runners reached scoring position when pinch-hitter Chris Sujka doubled down the right-field line. Maryland right-handed closer Kevin Mooney entered, a 4-3 putout scoring Cangelosi before Sujka crossed home on a fielding error by Biondic to bring Indiana within two.

 

That would be as close as IU would get. Mooney recovered to record a 5-4 fielder’s choice then struck out Indiana freshman left fielder Logan Sowers, who hit a grand slam the day before against Iowa, to strand two runners.

 

“We stumbled a little bit there in the eighth, but Mooney came in and did what he normally does,” Szefc said. “He’s been rock solid for us in the end of the game.”

 

Indiana threatened in the ninth, but couldn’t slow Mooney. Center fielder Craig Dedelow opened with a leadoff double, bringing the tying run to the plate, but a fly out to center and back-to-back strikeouts by Mooney ended the game.

 

“We’ve been successful here with our pitching and defense and we took advantage of some miscues on their part,” Szefc said of his team allowing only four runs, committing just one error in the tournament thus far.

 

Maryland advances to Sunday’s championship game; Indiana awaits word of where it will play in the NCAA Tournament.

 

“We just didn’t execute the level we have to when we play a really good team like Maryland,” Lemonis said. “They took advantage of it and I guess it’s over, but we’ll regroup and get ready and play a better game next week, hopefully.“