April 2, 2005
ATLANTA – Ben Pfinsgraff pitched 7 2/3 strong innings and Truan Mehl went 3-for-3 with two RBI to lead Maryland (14-15, 4-10 ACC) to a 2-1 upset of No. 1 Georgia Tech (22-6, 12-2) on Saturday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Terrapins’ win, their first at Russ Chandler Stadium since 1993, snapped a 16-game losing streak in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets had a streak of 15 straight ACC home wins come to an end.
Pfinsgraff (4-1) held the ACC’s top scoring offense to one run on five hits in 7.2 innings. He issued six walks and struck out five. After allowing a first-inning run, Pfinsgraff did not allow a Tech batter to advance past second base.
Michael Meagher earned his second save of the season by recording the final four outs of the game.
Tech starter Lee Hyde (3-1) was the tough luck loser despite one of his best outings of the season. The southpaw went eight innings and allowed two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out a career-high 10 batters.
Maryland took a 1-0 lead the top of the first inning when Elliott Singletary led off the game with a triple and scored on Mehl’s RBI single. Tech tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a RBI single from Steven Blackwood.
Maryland’s Nick Jones led off the third inning with a single and scored on a RBI double from Mehl to give the Terps a 2-1 lead.
From there the game settled into a pitcher’s duel between Hyde and Pfinsgraff. After allowing the first inning run, Pfinsgraff held the Yellow Jackets scoreless on three hits over the next six innings. Hyde held the Terrapins scoreless from the fourth through the eighth innings, facing three batters over the minimum.
A one-out single and a two-out walk chased Pfinsgraff from the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. But Meagher came out of the bullpen to retire pinch-hitter Michael Fisher on a groundout to end the threat. Meagher retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game.
Georgia Tech and Maryland will conclude of the series on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
