After confirming its fourth lost Big Ten series of the season, Maryland baseball hoped to avoid the sweep on Sunday. Iowa dominated in game one, forcing a run-rule ending in the eighth, before winning game two by three runs — but Maryland flipped the script.
The Terps dodged the sweep in game three after recording three explosive innings of four or more runs, including a seven-run seventh. They burned through nine Hawkeyes pitchers — four in the seventh inning alone — on its way to a 16-5 trouncing
in the series finale on Sunday. Maryland banked its most runs in a conference game in exactly a year.
The Hawkeyes scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning after an RBI single by Carter Geffre with two outs. In his second start of the season for Maryland, Brayden Ryan ended the inning with his first strikeout of the game.
From there, both teams remained scoreless until the fourth inning. Ryan continued to deal, but his offense left four runners on base.
“Probably the most injuries I’ve seen in my entire career. We’ve been decimated by that,” head coach Matt Swope said. “He’s taken advantage of this opportunity to start and that’s two good starts for us in a row.”
Maryland tied the game in the top of the fourth after junior David Mendez notched a triple, his fourth hit of the series and first of many on Sunday. Mendez was brought home on a single by freshman Nate Hawton-Henley.
The Terps loaded the bases in the fifth and claimed the lead after sophomore Paul Jones II singled through the shift in right field, bringing in two runs. Iowa deployed its third pitcher, right-hander Cole Moore, to slow down Maryland, but the Terps kept it coming.
After Jones II advanced to second on a wild pitch, Mendez doubled to left field, bringing in another two runs for Maryland.
Iowa was quick to close the first gap of the game, putting up three runs in the bottom of the same inning. With one out, third baseman Ben Swails slammed a deep shot toward Hawton-Henley in center field — the center lost the ball in the sun, and it carried in the wind, eventually dropping about five feet away from him.
Following an Iowa walk, Gable Mitchell hit a ball to left fielder Jordan Crosland. He bobbled it, allowing Mitchell to advance to second and Swails to score. A double by the Hawkeyes brought in two more runs.
Maryland needed insurance runs to close the one-run deficit in the top of the seventh and they succeeded as the Terps went through the whole line up as Iowa rotated through four different pitchers.
In the span of nine pitches, Maryland recorded three singles in a row to load the bases by Ty Kaunas, Jones II, and Ryan Costello for his first start in over a week. Costello scored on a wild pitch, advancing the runners.
Two more singles by the Terps brought in another two runs, giving them a 8-4 lead.
A sacrifice bunt by Hawton-Henley advanced runners into scoring position. After the Hawkeye’s fifth walk, right-hander Joe Husak attempted to pick off Devin Russell at second base. Husak’s throw bounced off Russell’s helmet into the outfield, bringing home Mendez.
Two pitchers and three runs later, Iowa finally ended the inning with Maryland holding a 12-4 lead over the Hawkeyes.
“A really good response on a day that was not ideal to hit with the wind and the conditions,” Swope said. “It’s really impressive for the offense to bounce back.”
Iowa brought in its final run in the bottom of the seventh after hitting back-to-back singles off sophomore Lance Williams, who had entered the game for Ryan. Mendez’s double play eased some pressure before Williams threw his second strikeout of the game.
Maryland quickly loaded the bases in the top of the eighth and scored two runs after sacrifice flies from Crosland and Martin. Costello drove another in by launching a double down the third-base line beyond the left fielder’s outstretched glove.
Kaunas brought home another after launching a triple to center field. Miles Risley went for the diving catch and missed the ball, allowing it to roll towards the warning track. Kaunas attempted to come home for an inside-the-park home run but was tagged out on his way to the plate, ending the inning with Maryland up 11 runs.
The Terps kept the Hawkeyes scoreless in the bottom of the eighth after Williams notched his third strikeout of the game, followed by a fly out to Crosland and grounder to Mendez, ending the game early.
“It’s good to bounce back. It’s nice to win, but we’d still like to be better,” Swope said. “We’re not going to settle for anything. There’s a lot of time left in the season.”
Three things to know
1. Williams the reliever. Williams has recorded more victories as a reliever (2) than as a starter (1). As a reliever, the sophomore has notched eight strikeouts in 8.3 innings.
2. Mendez opens the gate. Mendez opened the scoring during game one with a two-run RBI single. On Sunday, he put himself in position to open the scoring with a triple to the top of the right field corner and was brought home by Hawton-Henley. The junior notched a total of six hits and five RBIs during the weekend series.
3. Defensive control. Maryland’s defense was dominant on Sunday, only allowing one error. Shortstop Kaunas recorded five assists while Mendez notched two, including a put-out during his double play.
