Maryland baseball’s first two pitchers of the day came and went after only two-thirds of an inning each, allowing a combined nine hits and 11 runs by the bottom of the second.
Ryan Bailey became the Terps’ second bullpen call of the day. Bailey didn’t aid in the hit-fest though, as Michigan State’s Adam Broski hit a three-run blast to left center, putting the Terps down 12 runs in just an inning and a third.
The inning finally came to a close thanks to Maryland’s Jordan Crosland. The left fielder snagged
two line outs to shut down the inning, but not before the Spartans secured a 12-hit, nine-run inning.
The second served as the Terps’ tipping point, as Michigan State secured a 13-1 run-rule victory in seven innings.
Michigan State took an early lead in the bottom of the first following a two-run home run from Noah Bright. The Spartans’ lead grew to three after Parker Picot smashed an RBI single up the middle.
Freshman Nic Morlang made his tenth start of the season, but to no positive avail. The Virginia Beach native’s outing was cut short just two outs into the game after he threw 11 balls in 31 pitches and allowed three hits.
Maryland’s first six batters were held hitless. Meanwhile, Bright struck again for Michigan State, this time singling through the right side for an RBI in the bottom of the second.
The Spartans loaded the bases, still with only one out away. A wild pitch from reliever Jake Yeager brought Bright home for his second run of the day.
With the bases loaded again, Michigan State’s Ryan McKay blasted a grand slam to right field on the first pitch he saw, putting the Terps behind by nine with two outs.
Bailey began warming up after Yeager allowed another single following the grand slam, signaling the end of his time on the mound.
Ty Kaunas became the first Terp to bank a hit with a single in the top of third. His time around the diamond didn’t last long though, as a fielder’s choice play at second base got him out.
Crosland doubled down the left-field line shortly after, and as Hawton-Henley advanced to third, the Terps finally had a runner in scoring position. However, both were stranded on base after junior utility Brayden Martin flew out on the back of a hail-mary catch from right fielder Parker Picot.
Lance Williams became Maryland’s third bullpen arm, taking over for Bailey after he threw the Terps’ 12th walk of the day to put runners on the corners. The East Carolina transfer effectively saved the inning, posting back-to-back strikeouts with pitches topping out at 100 mph to shut down the Spartans.
On a 1-1 count at the top of the fifth inning, Kaunas blasted a solo shot to left field for his fifth home run of the year. The ball slammed the scoreboard as the shortstop came around the diamond for Maryland’s first and only run of the day.
First baseman Jones shifted away from his base in the bottom of the fifth and wasn’t able to get back to first in time to tag Spartan Randy Seymour. After stealing second, Seymour came all the way home on the back of an RBI single from McKay, returning the Spartans to their 12-run advantage.
Williams continued to shine on the mound in the bottom of the sixth. The sophomore rounded out the game with six total strikeouts, two of which combined with a line out at second base to close the sixth without another Spartan run.
Tasked with scoring at least once to keep the Terps alive, Mendez took his place in the batters’ box at the top of the seventh. The second baseman caught a foul ball to his right kneecap in an 0-2 count, falling to the ground almost immediately. Mendez returned to the batter’s box, but popped up to second for the first of three straight outs to end the game.
Three things to know
1. Tournament hopes tarnished. Maryland’s loss to Michigan State marked its 15th conference loss of the season, as well as its sixth series loss. The Terps are multiple games out of Big Ten Tournament contention with just nine conference games remaining.
2. Home run hot streak. Six different Terps crushed home runs over the fence in the weekend series, totalling 13 RBIs over the weekend. The home runs produced more than half of the runs Maryland scored all weekend.
3. The long walk. While just one Terp was walked on Sunday, Maryland still leads the Big Ten with 271 of its at-bats ending in walks by opponents. With 90 feet between the batters box and first base, the Terps have traveled more than 24,000 feet (4.62 miles) on walks.
