Shawaryn Ks 16 for Terps in Big Ten tourney

OMAHA, Neb. – Junior right-handed pitcher Mike Shawaryn struck out 16 batters in a complete game as the sixth-seeded Maryland baseball team took out third-seeded Indiana 5-3 in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on Wednesday morning.

The Terrapins (29-25) received a sensational start from their junior ace as Shawaryn finished one strikeout off the Big Ten Tournament single game record for strikeouts (17). The junior scattered four hits and gave up three runs, two of them earned.

“Obviously Mike was tremendous today,” head coach John Szefc said. “The guy strikes out 16 guys; that’s a very special day. Mike was able to come out and give us a good start and then kind of righted himself when he struggled a little bit in the middle innings.”

Freshmen Marty Costes and Nick Dunn led the offense, going a combined 6-for-9, as Costes ended the day with two doubles, a triple and three runs scored. Dunn nabbed three RBI.

Maryland opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first. Costes tripled to the gap in right center before coming home on a Dunn single to left. Sophomore Kevin Smith followed with a single, but the Terps were unable to muster anymore off Indiana starter Kyle Hart.

Shawaryn was sharp from the start as he struck out the first six batters of the game, a TD Ameritrade Park record. After a walk to open the third, redshirt freshman Andrew Bechtoldallowed Indiana to manufacture a run when he mishandled a Colby Stratten groundball to put runners on the corners. Alex Krupa then drove home Austin Cangelosi with an RBI ground out.

Shawaryn had 10 Ks through four, which set up a big Maryland inning in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Zach Jancarski drove a single to left before senior Anthony Papio followed with a single through the right side. Costes followed with a ground ruled double to left center that brought home Jancarski.

One batter later, Dunn singled to right field to plate Papio. Smith then grounded out to second, but it was good enough to score Costes and give the Terps a 4-1 lead.

After Indiana grabbed a pair of runs in the fifth, Shawaryn settled back in and put up four consecutive zeros to end the game. Shawaryn’s 16 Ks set the stadium record and are the most for a Maryland pitcher since Chris Clem struck out 15 against Buffalo on 3/5/04.

Shawaryn also passed Clem’s all-time school record for innings pitched during the game and is now the only pitcher in Maryland history to win 30 games, notch 300 strikeouts and accumulate 300 innings pitched. The junior holds five school records, and finished two strikeouts off the single game school record (18).

“I just tried to attack each hitter,” Shawaryn said. “It was a fun day to pitch. All three pitches felt good and I was able to command all three. Anytime you have that command it’s always going to be fun.”

Costes and Dunn were once again at the center of things in the seventh when they put together back-to-back doubles with two outs to give the Terps an insurance run.

Maryland returns to action tomorrow against either No. 2 Nebraska or No. 7 Michigan State. Action is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET and can be seen live on BTN or listened to live on the Maryland Baseball Network.