Strong Pitching Leads Army to Win over Maryland

Friday, February 23

College Park, Md.

4 p.m.

Army West Point

2-3

Maryland

2-3

Army West Point

Maryland

Strong Pitching Leads Army to Win over Maryland

February 23, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Army West Point baseball team posted an overall solid outing in a 4-3 victory at Maryland here Friday afternoon.

The Black Knights were sound all day with strong pitching and timely hits to earn their second win over a Big Ten foe this season.

The Army pitching staff combined to allow just four hits and three runs on the day. Starting pitcher Tyler Giovinco saw himself in a little trouble early, including giving up a leadoff home run in the third. After that at bat though the junior settled down to sit the next 13 batters down in order. He closed out his 6.1 innings of work giving up three hits and two runs, while striking out four.

Cam Opp allowed his first run of the season and it was a bad break for the junior as the Terps' third run came by way of a strikeout-wild pitch that senior catcher Jon Rosoff couldn't reel in. Opp went 1.2 innings giving up one hit and that one run to go along with his two strikeouts.

Then it was the Daniel Burggraaf show. The Belfair, Wash., native came into the contest in a critical situation. Bottom of the night — one-run game. But the junior handled it with ease, firing strike after strike to retire the Terps down in order to secure the victory and earn his second save of the year.

Five cadet-athletes finished with two hits in the game but probably the most timely hit came from the bat of John McKenna with two outs in the top of the fifth. The sophomore lined a single through the left side to score two runs. That hit broke a 2-2 deadlock which put the Black Knights in front for what ended up being the rest of the game.

Jacob Hurtubise, Drake Titus, Anfernee Crompton, Tim Simoes and Rosoff all recorded multi hits in the contest. McKenna registered two RBI, while Rosoff and Simoes accounted for the other two Army RBI's.

Maryland jumped in front 1-0 after a bases loaded sac fly. Giovinco was able to pitch his way out of the inning though not relinquishing anymore runs.

Army pulled in front 2-1 in the top of the third after Josh White led off with a single to center field. Simoes then drilled a single to right field, which allowed White enough time to score. The Terps threw Simoes out on that play as he tried to stretch his hit into a double. Hurtubise followed things up by singling to center field to place a runner back on base. He stole second before Maryland recorded the second out of the inning. On the ensuing play, Rosoff caped things off by singling to bring Hurtubise home.

The Cadets then added two runs in the fifth thanks to McKenna's two-out hit. Hurtubise and Simoes touched home plate on that play.

Maryland would not go down without a fight though. In the bottom of the eighth Taylor Wright led off with a double to left center. Opp then registered the next two outs before he fanned Kevin Biondic. The only issue was that the ball got away from Rosoff, which allowed Wright to score and Biondic to reach first base. However, a fly out during the next at bat ended the Terps rally and set up Burggraaf for his impressive ninth inning.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Army improves to 2-3 on the early season, while Maryland shifts to 2-3.
Hurtubise and Crompton notched stolen bases in the game, while Rosoff was a hit by a pitch.
The Black Knights were picked off three times.
Maryland saw Nick Dunn and Wright both notch doubles, to go along with A.J. Lee's first long ball of the year.
Lee was the only Terp to finish with multiple hits in the game.
Rosoff and Crompton went 2-for-3 with a walk to lead the Black Knights.
The Black Knights tagged the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week, Taylor Bloom, with 11 hits.
Army's pitching staff combined for nine strikeouts to just two for the Terps.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Black Knights produced their most hits so far this year with 13 in the contest. Army scored four runs off of those hits. Maryland finished with four hits and three runs.
The Cadets committed three errors in the game, the most this season.
Army stranded 10 runners on base, while the Terps left eight.

UP NEXT

These two teams will face off again Saturday for a noon first pitch at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium.
The game will be carried live on the BTN Plus or fans can listen on the Maryland Baseball Network.