By Michael Hromalik

Maryland baseball hosted Michigan last weekend in College Park for a Big Ten showdown. 

The Terrapins were looking to make a statement against a Wolverine team that had won five straight series and to make its way to the Big Ten tournament. 

Game 1: Maryland baseball falls in extra innings in series opener vs. Michigan; Cespedes and Williams shine

Michigan defeated Maryland 2-1 in 10 innings on Friday night’s series opener.

The matchup between the Terrapins and Wolverines led to a pitching duel, with hurlers on both teams excelling on the mound. 

For Maryland, it was Cristofer Cespedes who gave the Terrapins a strong start, pitching six innings and allowing only one run, one hit and three walks, while striking out three batters. 

“Best start of the year by far,” said Matt Swope, Maryland’s head coach. 

Cespedes got a late call-up after illness sidelined Logan Hastings, according to Swope. Cespedes did the most with his opportunity, and gave way to reliever Lance Williams, who had an equally impressive run.

Entering the game in the seventh inning with the game tied at one, Williams wasted no time, striking out the first three batters he faced. 

Williams played consistently, striking out nine batters and allowing one run throughout the night. 

But that one run ended up being the deciding factor in the game, as the Wolverines’ Joonsung Park launched a home run over the left field wall in the 10th inning. 

It was a struggle offensively for the Terrapins, who only scored one run on six hits, significantly lower than their season average. Entering Friday’s contest, the Terrapins were second in the Big Ten in runs scored per game with 8.27 and hits at 10.4. 

“That’s just something the offense has to execute a little bit and win the game,” Swope said.

Game 2: Maryland baseball mercy ruled in 17-5 defeat to Michigan in game 2 

The Terrapins lost 17-5 in game two against the Wolverines. 

The game ended after the seventh inning, a result of the 10-run rule, which concludes baseball games if the deficit is 10 runs or greater after seven innings, according to the NCAA. The two coaches make a mutual agreement before the start of a game.

The game quickly slipped away for the Terrapins, who fell behind 10-0 after two innings. The Wolverines had a nine-run onslaught in the second, which included Brayden Jefferis’ three-run home run.

Jefferis and Colby Turner led the offense for the Wolverines, accounting for 10 of their 17 runs. Turner had two three-run blasts in the fourth and seventh innings, the latter of which put the game on ice 17-5. 

It wasn’t just the Wolverines’ power; the Terrapins defense was also lacking. Reliever James Gladden had two pitches in the second that resulted in two runners scoring from third, extending the deficit to 10 runs. 

The Terrapins got on the board in the fourth, coming from a single from Paul Jones II and walks from Devin Russell and Jordan Crosland with the bases loaded. Shortstop Drew Culbertson’s error allowed a runner from third to score, making the score 13-4. 

“They did a really good job in that four-run inning,” Swope said.

“They have the will to come back from the very large deficit,” said spectator Yu-Hung Chang, who is completing research in atmospheric science at UMD. “Maybe they could be more aggressive.” 

Maryland demonstrated aggression by scoring five runs in three innings.

“It’s about pride in the process, whether you’re up, down, or things are going well for you or not,” Swope said. “If you want to be successful, you have to stay in the process.”

Game 3: Heartbreaking loss for Maryland baseball; Michigan sweeps series 

Maryland lost in the series finale to Michigan, 8-7. 

The loss completes a three-game sweep for the Wolverines, who rallied in the ninth inning down two runs to take a one-run lead that ultimately sealed Maryland’s fate. 

Entering the ninth, the Terrapins leaned on reliever Andrew Koshy, who had allowed zero hits and zero runs over his first three innings. They were leading 7-5. 

Koshy hit the first batter in the ninth, and although he registered two outs, including a diving grab by right fielder Bud Coombs, he also walked a batter and gave up an RBI single to Jefferis that cut the lead to one run. 

Ryan Bailey relieved Koshy, yet the struggles continued, as he gave up an RBI double to Park that went over the head of Coombs, putting Michigan ahead 8-7. 

Up to that point, it appeared that the Terrapins were on track to win. The electric energy in the crowd was largely a result of a pair of two-run home runs from Jordan Crosland and David Mendez in the fifth and seventh innings. 

“I just felt we had a professional approach,” Swope said. “We were kind of relentless there for four straight innings.”

The pitching was also a strength from the sixth to the eighth innings, as Michigan was held scoreless and only registered two hits during that stretch. 

But the Wolverines pounced when it mattered most, and it overshadowed the performance of the Terrapins’ strong offense and pitching

On defense, freshman outfielder Coombs made a spectacular catch in right field in the fourth, climbing up the wall to rob the Wolverines of a run. 

In the end, it was the Wolverines who were victorious, securing their sixth straight series win, placing them at 30-17 overall and 15-9 in Big Ten play. 

The Terrapins fell to 22-26 and 6-18 in conference play. They currently sit 16th in the Big Ten standings. To qualify for the Big Ten tournament, they would have to finish in the top 12. 

The Terrapins traveled to Piscataway, New Jersey, today to take on Rutgers for another Big Ten weekend series. 

Featured Image: Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium at the University of Maryland. Photo by Michael Hromalik.