Stinnett’s home runs big in baseball's 10-6 win

Entering yesterday's game against West Virginia, the Terrapin baseball team was tied for a whopping 229th in the nation in home runs, having hit only six round-trippers all season.

But two solo shots from third baseman Jake Stinnett paced the Terps' suddenly surging offense yesterday, powering the Terps to a 10-6 victory at West Virginia.

"It was a good win. We played well, we hit well," coach Erik Bakich said. "It's a good way to come back and respond after a disappointing weekend. I'm happy [with] the way the team responded."

After the Terps helped spot the Mountaineers (17-14) an early 1-0 lead with a wild pitch that scored a runner from third, the Terps answered in the next frame with four runs of their own.

Stinnett continued his torrid stretch at the plate with a solo home run to lead off the second inning. A sacrifice fly from shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez and a two-RBI double from second baseman Ryan Holland soon made it 4-1.

"[Stinnett] is feeling good right now," Bakich said, "and he's swinging a hot bat. It's a big advantage for us to have a guy like that down in the order than can add some pop and drive in some runs."

The Terps (14-15) added to their lead with an RBI single up the middle from designated hitter Austin Kilbourne in the fourth, and Stinnett's second home run of the game gave the Terps a 6-1 lead an inning later.

"He threw me a fastball. I didn't try to do too much with it and happened to hit a home run," Stinnett said. "The second one was also with two strikes, and I was just shortened up and he threw me a hanging slider, I think, in. Just got it in the air, and the ball cleared over the fence. Wasn't trying to do too much, just happened to go over."

The Terps, meanwhile, also saw the Sander Beck they had expected all year on the mound hold the Mountaineers in check.

Beck had spent most of the season as the team's top starter, but his struggles led Bakich to move him to the middle of the week to build up his confidence. After allowing the early run, Beck settled down, holding West Virginia scoreless for four straight innings before a three-run double in the sixth cut the Terps' lead to two runs.

Beck ultimately earned the win, going 5.2 innings and allowing four runs on five hits and striking out five.

"I thought Sander was very good," Bakich said. "[He] had a couple of hiccups in the first inning and a run scored on a wild pitch, but I thought he settled in very nicely. ... Outside of the last batter he faced, he pretty much shut them down for almost six innings."

Even when Beck faltered, the Terps were there to back him, responding to the Mountaineers' three-run sixth inning with three runs in return. Aaron Etchison's impressive return from a broken hand at the start of the season continued in the seventh with an RBI single that scored Rodriguez. Holland came home on a fielder's choice, and left fielder Kyle Convissar scored on a bases-loaded walk.

The Terps added an insurance run in the eighth, and their offensive outburst continued a trend that started last weekend against Florida State. The win marked the third game in a row in which they had double-digit hits, the longest streak of the season.

"Just a lot of inexperienced guys getting experience. That's all it is," Bakich said. "No secret formula or recipe or any tricks or drills or anything. We've just been working very hard, and making sure we're getting additional [batting practice] and lots of swings in when we can. I think the big thing is guys are just getting comfortable at the plate."

schneider@umdbk.com