The UVA baseball team dropped Game 1 of the NCAA Charlottesville Super Regional to Maryland 5-4 Saturday at Davenport Field. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is scheduled for noon Sundayand will be televised by ESPN2.
The Terrapins used a three-run fourth inning to take a lead they never relinquished, as they were able to hold off a late Cavalier rally. Virginia left a total of 14 runners on base in the game, including six over the final three innings.
Maryland starter Jake Stinnett (8-6) allowed three runs (two earned) over six innings to record the win. Closer Kevin Mooney got his 13th save of the season, pitching 1.1 shutout innings.
Nathan Kirby (Midlothian, Va.) took the loss for Virginia, allowing five earned runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings, his shortest start of the season. For Kirby (9-2), it was his first loss in 10 starts, since March 22 at Miami. Whit Mayberry (Alexandria, Va.) pitched 4.1 shutout innings of relief, allowing just three hits and striking out six to keep the Cavaliers in the game.
Charlie White led the Terrapins offensively by going 3-for-5 and scoring two runs. Brandon Lowe had two RBI for Maryland.
Mike Papi (Tunkhannock, Pa.) led the Virginia offensive attack by reaching base in all five plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with two walks. Brandon Downes (South Plainfield, N.J.) also had a multi-hit game for the Cavaliers with a pair of doubles.
The Terrapins took the lead with a run in the top of the first. White led off the game with a double and eventually came around to score on an RBI groundout by Lowe.
Virginia answered in the bottom of the first to tie the game. Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ontario) drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on Papi’s single. Joe McCarthy (Scranton, Pa.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases before the next batter, Derek Fisher (Rexmont, Pa.), was hit as well to force in the first Cavalier run.
The Cavaliers took a 2-1 lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the third. Papi started the rally with a single and moved to third with a stolen base and a throwing error on the play. After McCarthy drew a walk, Papi scored as Fisher reached on a throwing error by Maryland third-baseman Jose Cuas.
Maryland retook the lead with three runs in the top of the fourth. Cuas delivered a one-out single that was followed by a double down the left field line by Blake Schmit. Cuas scored the tying run on an RBI single from Tim Lewis. Schmit scored to give the Terps the lead on a sacrifice bunt from Kyle Convissar, before Anthony Papio’s two-out double scored Lewis to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Terrapins took a 5-2 lead with a run in the top of the fifth. White singled to lead off the inning. He moved to second on a passed ball and third on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on Lowe’s sacrifice fly.
Virginia scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 5-3. Downes had a one-out double and came around to score on a two-out RBI single by Branden Cogswell (Ballston Lake, N.Y.).
The Cavaliers had a two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to 5-4. Cogswell walked and moved to third on a single from Pinero. Papi’s single up the middle drove in Cogswell to bring Virginia within one run.
Virginia tried for one final rally in the bottom of the ninth, but left two runners on base as Mooney picked up the save for Maryland.
If Virginia wins Game 2 of the series on Sunday, a decisive Game 3 will be played Monday at 4 p.m. (ESPN2). The winner of the Charlottesville Super Regional advances to the College World Series next week in Omaha, Neb.
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Chris Graham
