2008 Woodie Awards
Terps' game of inches
Aaron Kraut
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Sports
Baseball is often called "a game of inches" and in this weekend's Terrapin baseball series against No. 19 Clemson, the Terps saw just how much difference a couple of inches could make.
In a bizarre play in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday, a couple of inches led to a series-opening 2-1 loss.
With runners on first and second base and no outs, senior centerfielder Nick Jowers put down a sacrifice bunt. Clemson pitcher D.J. Mitchell's throw sailed over the first baseman's head and toward the wall.
Lead runner sophomore A.J. Casario scored easily, making the score 2-1. But as the ball sped towards the wall, it rolled right into a Terps warm-up jacket that was left lying next to the wall.
As Clemson players frantically signaled the ball was out of play, two more Terps, including Jowers, scored to give the Terps what appeared to be a 3-2 victory. But after the play, umpires found the overthrown ball had slipped its way into the jacket's pocket, making it out-of-play and nullifying the second and third runs.
"The breaks didn't go our way," coach Terry Rupp said. "If that ball doesn't go in the pocket, it's a tie ballgame, and it's a different story. They have to play the infield in with a man on third and we could have done a lot more things."
But somehow the ball did go in the pocket, and the next three Terp hitters failed to get the ball out of the infield. The Terps lost the series opener 2-1.
The Terps started slow on both Saturday and Sunday, with Clemson taking leads early before attempted comebacks.
Saturday's 5-3 win was keyed by 4.1 innings of scoreless work by freshman reliever Adam Kolarek, who kept the game within reach. The Terps took advantage of two Tiger errors in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game.
Junior pitcher Jensen Pupa doubled to lead off the sixth inning, moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a groundout to make it 4-3. Junior infielder Dan Benick's pinch-hit single in the eighth added an insurance run.
On Sunday, the Terps tied the game at two in the fourth inning when Clemson catcher Doug Hogan's pick-off attempt at third base was mishandled by Tiger third baseman John Hinson.
But a Clemson sacrifice fly in the eighth inning proved to be the winning run in a 6-2 Tigers win, giving them the series victory - if only by a matter of inches.
If not for the jacket pocket incident Friday night, the Terps might be looking at this past weekend as their first ACC series victory of the year.
"They gave us a chance there to capitalize on their mistakes, and obviously, there was a little miscue with the jacket," senior second baseman Steve Braun said. "We played a great game and we had a chance to get a win, but at the same time, you learn from it and hopefully it doesn't happen again. It's bitter."
akrautdbk@gmail.com
In a bizarre play in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday, a couple of inches led to a series-opening 2-1 loss.
With runners on first and second base and no outs, senior centerfielder Nick Jowers put down a sacrifice bunt. Clemson pitcher D.J. Mitchell's throw sailed over the first baseman's head and toward the wall.
Lead runner sophomore A.J. Casario scored easily, making the score 2-1. But as the ball sped towards the wall, it rolled right into a Terps warm-up jacket that was left lying next to the wall.
As Clemson players frantically signaled the ball was out of play, two more Terps, including Jowers, scored to give the Terps what appeared to be a 3-2 victory. But after the play, umpires found the overthrown ball had slipped its way into the jacket's pocket, making it out-of-play and nullifying the second and third runs.
"The breaks didn't go our way," coach Terry Rupp said. "If that ball doesn't go in the pocket, it's a tie ballgame, and it's a different story. They have to play the infield in with a man on third and we could have done a lot more things."
But somehow the ball did go in the pocket, and the next three Terp hitters failed to get the ball out of the infield. The Terps lost the series opener 2-1.
The Terps started slow on both Saturday and Sunday, with Clemson taking leads early before attempted comebacks.
Saturday's 5-3 win was keyed by 4.1 innings of scoreless work by freshman reliever Adam Kolarek, who kept the game within reach. The Terps took advantage of two Tiger errors in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game.
Junior pitcher Jensen Pupa doubled to lead off the sixth inning, moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a groundout to make it 4-3. Junior infielder Dan Benick's pinch-hit single in the eighth added an insurance run.
On Sunday, the Terps tied the game at two in the fourth inning when Clemson catcher Doug Hogan's pick-off attempt at third base was mishandled by Tiger third baseman John Hinson.
But a Clemson sacrifice fly in the eighth inning proved to be the winning run in a 6-2 Tigers win, giving them the series victory - if only by a matter of inches.
If not for the jacket pocket incident Friday night, the Terps might be looking at this past weekend as their first ACC series victory of the year.
"They gave us a chance there to capitalize on their mistakes, and obviously, there was a little miscue with the jacket," senior second baseman Steve Braun said. "We played a great game and we had a chance to get a win, but at the same time, you learn from it and hopefully it doesn't happen again. It's bitter."
akrautdbk@gmail.com
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