With Jimmy Reed, boasting a 0.34 ERA, on the mound for the Terrapins baseball team agains the NCAA leader in strikeouts, Duke’s Marcus Stroman, it appeared that both teams were in for a tight pitcher’s duel.
But in the end, it came down to one swing of the bat. Left fielder Michael Montville hit a two-run, walk-off home run off Duke right-hander David Putman in the 10th inning to give the Terps a 4-2 victory.
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The Terrapins men’s basketball team has announced that power forward Charles Mitchell has signed his letter of intent to play for the Terps.
The Marietta, Ga., product who played at Wheeler High School is ranked the No. 12 PF in the class by Rivals.com and 92nd player overall, is the fourth player to sign in the class for coach Mark Turgeon.
Turgeon on Mitchell, from the release:
“It’s a great day for our program to be able to add Charles Mitchell to the Maryland basketball family. We have recruited Charles hard since we got to Maryland. His mom did a lot of things right while raising Charles to be a respectful kid and extremely hard worker. He is going to be a great addition to our frontcourt. Charles is a wide-bodied post who plays hard, is an excellent rebounder and can score around the basket. Charles fits in perfectly with the rest of our 2012 class, as he has a tremendous upside and will have a significant impact on our basketball program.”
The WNBA invited 15 of the best seniors in the nation to attend the league draft this Monday.
Lynetta Kizer was one of those 15.
The Terrapins women’s basketball center will join 14 other players at the ESPN Headquarters in Bristol, Conn., on Monday with the hopes of beginning her professional career.
A three-time All-ACC selection and this season’s ACC Sixth Player of the Year, Kizer ended her Terps’ career ranked No. 4 on the all-time rebounding list (958) and No. 8 on the all-time scoring list (1,621).
Kizer will be joined by Stanford’s Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Tennessee’s Glory Johnson, Shekinna Stricklen and Vicki Baugh, Miami’s Shenise Johnson and Riquna Williams, Notre Dame’s Natalie Novosel and Devereaux Peters, Connecticut’s Tiffany Hayes, Ohio State’s Samantha Prahalis, LSU’s LaSondra Barrett, Gonzaga’s Kayla Standish, Wiscon-Green Bay’s Julie Wojta and Georgia Tech’s Sasha Goodlett.
Josh Vitale is The Diamondback’s Terrapins women’s basketball beat reporter. He can be reached at vitale@umdbk.com.
With the departure of guard Mychal Parker, the Terrapins men’s basketball team has another scholarship opening just in time to offer Michigan transfer Evan Smotrycz.
The forward will take an official visit to College Park according to CBS Sports’ Jeff Goodman.
Coach Randy Edsall has announced over the past few days that the Terrapins football team will be without All-American defensive end Joe Vellano and linebacker Darin Drakeford for the rest of its spring practice slate.
Vellano, Edsall revealed Saturday, has suffered a foot injury that will keep him out for the rest of the spring.
Drakeford, on the other hand, will be out due to an academic issue. Drakeford “won’t be out there now for the rest of spring,” Edsall said in a YouTube video. “He’s got some things he’s got to take care of academically.”
Vellano and Drakeford join linebackers Alex Twine and Cole Ferrand among injured Terps on the defensive side.
Sophomore Mychal Parker is set to transfer from the Terrapins men’s basketball team, according to a report today by www.therecruitscoop.com.
According to the report, which features a lengthy statement from Parker explaining his decision, the Washington, N.C., native writes that he recently met with coach Mark Turgeon. In the meeting, Turgeon indicated that Parker’s playing time would likely dry up with the arrival of the Terps’ incoming freshman class, which ranks No. 19 in the country according to ESPN.
Parker, who arrived in College Park as the most highly-touted recruit in Gary Williams’ final recruiting class, never fulfilled the potential many saw in him. Last season, he averaged 4.3 points and 3 rebounds in 18 minutes per game.
While his scoring numbers never translated to the college game, but he established himself as one of the Terps’ best defenders this season and showed off his athleticism with several emphatic alley-oops last season.
“I highly respect Coach Turgeon as a person for his honesty in this situation,” Parker said in his statement. “I am never the person to back away from a challenge and would never be scared to compete for a spot. I honestly believe I would have thrived under those circumstances. Unfortunately, after many sleepless and prayerful nights, I came to the realization that it may be in my best interest to continue my education and career at another institution.”
Parker said East Carolina, located near his hometown, has shown the strongest interest in him, as has Alabama-Birmingham — where former Terps’ assistant Rob Ehsan recently signed as an assistant — and Loyola.
“Again, I’d like to stress how grateful I am for the University of Maryland’s opportunities and support over the last two years,” Parker said. “I will continue to support Maryland in any way possible. I have made friends for life here, and am very torn by this situation.”
For the second straight game, the Terrapins baseball team found itself in another pitcher’s duel, but this time, the Terps came out on the wrong end of it.
Carlos Rodon pitched a complete game, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits, while third baseman Trea Turner was 4-for-4 and scored twice to pace N.C. State (21-8, 9-5 ACC) to a 3-2 victory.
Right-hander Brett Harman (4-2) started for the Terps (20-13, 4-10) one night after being a late scratch for the Game 1 start, and continued his solid season. The senior allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks over 6.2 innings.
Designated hitter Tomo Delp had the Terps’ only RBI as part of a 2-for-3 day against the ACC’s leader in ERA.
Both pitchers were shaky to start as the first inning ended with the Terps leading 2-1. But Rodon (5-0) settled down nicely the rest of the way, striking out eight and walking three. The Wolfpack got two in the third that proved to be the difference, by way of three singles and a sacrifice bunt.
The rubber game of the three-game set is Sunday at 1 p.m. with David Carroll (3-1, 3.53) going for the Terps against N.C. State’s Logan Jernigan (3-1, 4.44).
Jimmy Reed pitched eight shutout innings, Tim Kiene hit a three-run home run and for the first time this season, the Terrapins baseball team won Game 1 of an ACC series.
Shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez and center fielder Korey Wacker were both 2-for-3 and first baseman and Wacker pitched the ninth, as the Terps dispatched N.C. State, 4-0.
Originally slated to start in Game 2, Reed was bumped up to the Friday night start after scheduled starter Brett Harman was scratched due to arm soreness. The left-hander had primarily been the Terps’ closer this year and had a 0.48 ERA and seven saves in the relief role.
But despite the game being his first career start, Reed (1-1) looked right at home from the start for the Terps (20-12, 4-9 ACC). The junior allowed only five base runners: two hits, two walks and a hit by pitch, and struck out eight, facing 29 batters. His 106th and final pitch was a swinging strike to retire the Wolfpack’s Chris Diaz.
Right-hander Ethan Ogburn, ranked second in the ACC in ERA, held fast through the first four innings for the Wolfpack (20-8, 8-5). But in the fifth, Rodriguez doubled down the right field line before stealing second. Then, Wacker laid down a squeeze bunt to give the Terps a 1-0 lead.
For the game, Ogburn (3-2) pitched seven innings and gave up four earned runs on eight hits and one walk. He struck out four.
The Wolfpack send the ACC’s leader in ERA, Carlos Rodon (4-0, 1.49), to the mound tomorrow to try to split the series against Brett Harman (4-1, 2.38).
Four Terrapins men’s basketball commitments for next season, and potentially one more, will suit up for the annual Capital Classic High School all-star game on April 21 at TC Williams in Alexandria, Va.
The U.S. roster will include center Shaquille Cleare (Tex.), guard Seth Allen (Va.), forward Damonte Dodd (Md.) and forward Charles Mitchell (Ga.). They will suit up against the Capital All-Stars team that features recruits headed George Mason, George Washington and Virginia.
Notre Dame Prep (Mass.) guard Sam Cassell Jr., who pledged over Twitter to the Terps two weeks ago and then reopened his recruitment, will also play for the U.S. All-Stars.
FULL ROSTERS:
Coach Randy Edsall said following the Terrapins football team’s spring practice yesterday that sixth-year senior Kenny Tate will remain at linebacker next season when he returns from his knee injury.
When asked, Edsall hardly hesitated and told the gathered members of the media that Tate will play SAM linebacker — essentially the team’s strong-side outside linebacker, a spot currently held by rising sophomore Alex Twine.
“We’ve talked to Kenny and he knows that’s where he’s going to be,” Edsall said. “He’ll be in the meetings there. He likes it and understands that’s what’s best for him and that’s what’s best for us.”
Before yesterday, it was unclear where Tate would fit into first year defensive coordinator Brian Stewart’s 3-4 scheme.
Prior to his season-ending knee injury last season, Tate was shaky at the STAR linebacker. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if he’ll be any better the second time around.