NEWARK, DE -- Maryland ace Scott Swinson fired a nine-inning no-hitter and struck out a career-high 10 batters as he helped the Terrapins top the University of Delaware baseball team, 4-0, during the Blue Hens' home finale at Bob Hannah Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

Delaware (21-31) managed only three base runners during the game as Chris Nehl (at right) and Ryan Cuneo both drew walks while Pat Dameron was hit by a pitch. Although he reached base, Cuneo finished 0-2 and saw his 24-game hitting streak snapped. It goes down as the fifth longest streak in program history, just four shy of the all-time record.

In hopes of capturing its 30th win of the season, Maryland (30-26) saved Swinson, the team’s No. 1 starter during the rest of the year, for its last game in order to reach the milestone victory. The program had only achieved the 30-win plateau once before, and with its ace on the mound, the move paid off as the sophomore right-hander led the Terrapins to victory.

Swinson's gem was the first solo no-hitter by a Maryland pitcher since John Rayne blanked Virginia, 11-1, in 1992. Six Terrapins did combine to no-hit Coppin State on March 28 of last season. Rich Fillings was the last to throw a no-hit shutout when he did so in a 3-0 victory over Clemson on May 9, 1972.

Former Blue Hen standout Brent Gaphardt was the last to twirl a no-hitter at Bob Hannah Stadium when he shut down Hofstra, 11-0, on March 26, 2005.

During his first four innings of work, Swinson (5-4) faced the minimum amount of hitters. He lost his perfect game in the fourth after plunking Dameron with a pitch, but the freshman spent little time on the basepaths as he was quickly erased on a double play.

In the top of the fifth, after the Delaware pitching staff had managed to match Swinson pitch-for-pitch during the first four frames, Maryland finally opened the scoring and gave their ace the only run support he needed. Leading off the inning, Gerry Spessard lined a home run to center field to give the Terps a 1-0 advantage.

The Blue Hens could not answer despite scaring up their first threat of the game in the bottom of the inning. Cuneo led off with a walk and advanced to third on back-to-back ground outs. He was stranded 90-feet away from the plate, however, as Swinson induced another routine ground out to end the inning.

As the Delaware lineup struggled, the Blue Hen pitching staff kept the team in the game. Reigning Rookie of the Week Michael Londino continued his strong freshman campaign, firing two innings of work out of the bullpen. In the sixth, the right-hander struck out three before coming back to retire the side in order in the seventh.

Maryland found its offense again in the eighth when Nick Jowers, Jensen Pupa, and Mike Murphy notched three straight singles to add the team’s second run of the game. Following the second out of the inning, Chad Durakis came through with an RBI single to center that pushed the team’s lead to 3-0.

In the eighth, after Nehl worked a lead-off walk, Terrapin AJ Cassario preserved the no-hitter with a phenomenal grab in short right field. Ryan Reed lifted a pitch that was destined to find open space, but Cassario came flying in and made an incredible diving grab.

With his gem still in tact and another insurance run on the board, Swinson retired the Blue Hens in order in the ninth. He got pinch hitter Steve Ulaky to ground out on a high-hopper to second before sending Kyle Davis down looking for the second out of the inning.

One out away from being no-hit, the Blue Hens sent preseason All-American Alex Buchholz to the plate as a pinch hitter. After sitting for the first eight innings of the game, the Blue Hen captain sent a fly ball to right that Cassario handled as the Maryland team swarmed Swinson on the mound.

His no-hitter is believed to be the first ever thrown against the Blue Hens in the program's storied history dating back to 1882.

Although the Terrapin ace out-dueled the Hens, the Delaware staff had a strong afternoon as well. Six pitchers combined to post nine strikeouts and scatter five hits during the game.

Corey Crispell worked the first two innings of the contest, striking out two while allowing one hit. Brad Miller and Joe Tebaldi followed with one shutout inning apiece before Alex Dalsey (1-2) was touched up for one run in the fifth. Following two spotless frames by Londino, Matt Harden surrendered three runs in his two-inning outing.

Delaware will wrap up its 2008 campaign when the team travels to Richmond, VA for a three-game series against the VCU Rams beginning on Thursday at 7 p.m.

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