True Team Effort

By Rob Galligan and Anthony Papio

Special to CollegeBaseballInsider.com

Maryland juniors Rob Galligan (left) and Anthony Papio will contribute a journal to CollegeBaseballInsider.com for the 2015 season. Galligan has made 14 appearances out of the bullpen over his first two seasons and lists Muhammad Ali as his sports hero. Papio started 53 games in 2014, hitting .271 with nine doubles, two homers and 29 RBI and lists Pat Tillman as his sports hero.

This past week was a great week for Terps baseball. Because of the way we ended off last week, this was extremely important for us.

We hosted JMU during the midweek and got a much-needed win. Once again we were scheduled for a three-game series over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Of course, the weather did not cooperate and we had to postpone Friday’s game to a doubleheader Saturday and one on Sunday. The wind was absolutely crazy, it went directly across our field straight out to right field. The wind knocked down a couple shots that would have been no-doubt home runs on another day.

We beat JMU at home 3-0 on Wednesday and swept a very hot Nebraska team (won 8-3 Game 1 DH on Saturday, won 8-2 Game 2 DH on Saturday, and won 6-5 on Sunday). Sunday’s game had a lot of hype to begin with because it was a TV game on Big Ten Network. After a little hiccup in the second inning, we went down 5-0. We have been great at coming from behind all season so far, and Sunday was no different. The hitters stayed patient, kept chipping away, and our aggressive style of play put constant pressure on Nebraska’s pitchers and defense. After two solo home runs from Kevin Martir and Jamal Wade, an RBI double from Anthony Papio, and two-run home run from Kevin Smith, we tied it up in the bottom of the seventh. Alex Robinson took the mound in the eighth and ninth to give our team a chance to win. Finally, we had a walk-off win in the ninth to sweep Nebraska.

This weekend was a true team effort.

•       Kevin Mooney, Brian Shaffer, and Alex Robinson only allowed one hit against JMU.

•       Kevin Martir had a big week going 7 for 16 over the four games.

•       Mike Shawaryn improved to 7-0 after 7 IP, 6 strikeouts, 5 hits and 1 ER

•       Taylor Stiles started Game 2 of DH, struck out 8 Cornhuskers, 1 ER after 7 IP.

•       Terps bullpen combo of Rob Galligan, Ryan Selmer, Zach Morris and Alex Robinson only allowed 1 run over 10 innings in relief on throughout the weekend.

•       Over the weekend, Nick Cieri, Brandon Lowe, Kevin Martir and Kevin Smith all hit home runs off an impressive Nebraska pitching staff.

•       Jamal Wade got his first hit that wasn’t a home run. J. Wade now has four hits on the year, three of which have been home runs.

This upcoming week we play a tough midweek schedule against West Virginia and George Washington followed up by a weekend series against Iowa at home.  We hope to build off the momentum from this past week and continue our success in the upcoming five games.

Go Terps!

#BP15

Rob Galligan & Anthony Papio