March 22, 2007

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland Terrapins host their first conference foe of the season when the Clemson Tigers come to College Park for a three-game weekend set. Game times are 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. All three games can be heard live on WMUC Sports with Friday's contest being televised over the Internet on ACC Select.

• Last weekend the Terps avoided the sweep by taking game three, 5-4, in their weekend at Miami. Maryland pitcher Kevin Biringer held the Hurricanes offense at bay, pitching six innings of shutout baseball before allowing two runs in the seventh.
• In midweek action, Maryland cruised to a 17-2 victory over non-conference opponent Virginia Commonwealth.
• The Terps won their first conference series of the year, taking two of three from NC State in the teams' conference openers. Maryland took 6-3 and 4-2 wins on Friday and Saturday, respectively, before the Wolfpack exploded to a 20-3 win Sunday.
• Junior reliever Brett Cecil set a new school record with his 16th career save on Feb. 17 in the Terps' 12-inning win over Creighton, 1-0. Cecil, who set the record for a single season in 2006 with 13 saves, was named to the preseason Clemens Award watch list and All-America second team by Baseball America. Cecil now has six saves on the season and 21 for his career.

SERIES HISTORY

Maryland trails in the all-time series, 35-101 (.257). Last season, Clemson swept the Terps at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, winning 3-1 Friday and 3-2 in 11 innings Saturday before a 15-7 offensive outburst Sunday. The Terps' last victory over the Tigers came in 2003, an 8-4 win at home. Maryland won that series after a 9-6 victory in the series opener.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

Clemson comes to College Park with a 14-5 record, having won six of their last seven. Most recently, the Tigers fell to Western Carolina in Cullowhee, 6-3, on Tuesday. The Tiger offense is led by Brad Chalk, who is batting .441 with five doubles and seven RBIs. Clemson will send P.J. Zocchi (3-0, 2.00 ERA), Ryan Hinson (1-0, 2.00 ERA) and David Kopp (2-2, 4.40 ERA) to the mound this weekend.