In Sunday’s series finale against Wake Forest, the attention was supposed to be on the Terrapin baseball team’s seniors, but for the second straight day freshman catcher Tyler Bennett stole the show.
Bennett went 2-for-4 with three RBI, all of which came on a home run as the Terps (27-26, 10-20 ACC) blew out the visiting Demon Deacons (21-27, 6-21 ACC) 15-4 to complete the Terps’ first sweep of an ACC opponent on Senior Day since 2002.
With the Terps trailing 4-3 in the sixth inning, Bennett broke the game open with a towering home run that hit the light pole in left-center field. But Sunday was just Bennett’s encore performance.
In Saturday’s 10-9 win, Bennett provided the majority of the Terps’ offense. He tied the program’s single game records for home runs and RBI with three and eight, respectively. Even more impressive was the fact that all three of Bennett’s home runs came when the Terps were trailing.
“This is probably the best I have played at this level,” Bennett said after Saturday’s win. “I was getting sliders early on and they were eating me alive, so I came in early, got some extra swings, and I guess it worked out.”
Bennett’s weekend was in microcosm to the way he has played over the last three weeks – during which has emerged as one of the team’s most dangerous hitters. In just 96 at-bats, Bennett is third on the team in home runs (8) and RBI (31).
Early in the season, Bennett said he struggled to hit off-speed pitches and consequently made sporadic appearances in the lineup. He was forced into a starting role behind the plate in the April 17 to 19 Duke series, as fellow catcher Mike Moss injured his throwing arm.
Since his insertion in the lineup, Bennett has been on a tear, hitting seven of his eight home runs and driving in 24 runs in just 15 games.
“The key with Tyler has been getting him at-bats,” coach Terry Rupp said. “We always knew he could hit the ball. We just needed to find him a spot. It’s kinda like driving a car around the block after it’s cold. You gotta drive it a few times to warm it up.”
The Federalsburg, Md., native remains humble despite his recent offensive outburst. He said he knows he has much to work on, especially putting the ball in play more and working on his defensive skills. But his coach begs to differ.
“After this weekend someone would say there is not much too improve on. Don’t touch him, and that’s what we will do,” Rupp said. “With so many players leaving we need guys to step up, and right now Tyler looks like he can be that guy.”
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