Michigan State University
20-14, 0
Maryland
26-11, 0
Spartans Topped By Terrapins, 12-2, Friday
4/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
***Note: Saturday's game has been postponed due to rain. Teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday starting at 10 a.m.***
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Michigan State baseball lost at Maryland, 12-2, Friday night at UMD's Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium in the opener of a three-game series. MSU was making its first-ever trip to College Park.
With the loss, the Spartans are 20-14 overall and 5-5 in Big Ten Conference action, The Terrapins improved to 26-11 overall and 10-3 in B1G play. Friday was just the fourth regular-season meeting and the sixth match-up overall in the short history between MSU and UMD, who joined the Big Ten in the 2014-15 season, as the Terps now lead the series, 4-2.
Freshman left fielder Bryce Kelley was 2-for-4, while sophomore right fielder Dan Chmielewski was 1-for-4 with a run scored. Senior catcher Matt Byars, junior designated hitter Brandon Hughes and sophomore shortstop Royce Ando were all 1-for-3. Junior pinch-hitter Kory Young was 1-for-1 with a double and a run scored.
MSU led off the game with a single by Kelley, but was wiped out with a double play. The Terrapins scored two runs in the home half of the first, both coming with two outs, to open a 2-0 lead after one inning.
The home team blew the game open in the second inning, plating six runs, with the big blow coming off a two-run home run by Nick Cieri and a two-run double from Kevin Smith, for an 8-0 lead with two innings in the books. Maryland added three more in the fourth, taking advantage of an MSU error to go with one hit, to open an 11-0 advantage.
The Spartans got on the board in the sixth as Chmielewski had a one-out single and was driven in by a double by Byars.
After Maryland added a run in the bottom of the eighth, MSU tallied a run in the top of the ninth as Young belted a double. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Young scored on an RBI groundout by fellow junior pinch-hitter Will Salter, for the final 12-2 score.
The Spartans and Terps continue their three-game series on Saturday, April 22 at 1 p.m. *(Updated Saturday morning) before the series finale on Sunday, April 23 at 1 p.m.
Following this weekend's series at Maryland, Michigan State returns home to host Toledo on Wednesday, April 26 at 3:05 p.m. at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.
Fans should stay tuned to www.MSUSpartans.com, or follow MSU Baseball on twitter at statebaseball for any schedule updates.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Shaffer,Brian (5-2)
L: Troop, Alex (5-3)
Batting:
2B: Young, Kory 1 ; Byars, Matt 1
RBI: Byars, Matt 1 ; Salter, Will 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chmielewski, Dan 1 ; Young, Kory 1
CS: Kelley, Bryce 1
Batting:
2B: Dunn,Nick 1 ; Smith,Kevin 1 ; Nickens,Madison 1
HR: Cieri,Nick 1
RBI: Dunn,Nick 3 ; Watson,Will 3 ; Smith,Kevin 2 ; Nickens,Madison 2 ; Cieri,Nick 2
SF: Watson,Will 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jancarski,Zach 2 ; Gum,Brandon 2 ; Costes,Marty 1 ; Dunn,Nick 3 ; Watson,Will 1 ; Smith,Kevin 1 ; Nickens,Madison 1 ; Cieri,Nick 1
SB: Jancarski,Zach 1 ; Gum,Brandon 2 ; Costes,Marty 1 ; Dunn,Nick 1 ; Smith,Kevin 1
