The Terps secured another three-game series loss.
Desperate for a bounce-back win, Maryland baseball’s hopes took an immediate hit when Illinois scored five runs in the first inning, forcing the Terps to call upon the bullpen after recording just one out.
It never got better for Maryland, which dropped the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Illinois, 15-3, in eight innings to seal its third straight loss. The Terps failed to win yet another three-game series.
With the loss, Maryland drops to 14-17 overall and 3-8 in conference play.
Maryland used six arms but couldn’t find consistent success from anybody, while Ben Plumley was dealing for Illinois (17-11, 6-5 Big Ten). The redshirt junior matched the success of his previous start against Michigan State, pitching six innings and allowing no earned runs with three hits and two walks.
Freshman Logan Hastings started for Maryland, working into a first-inning jam after walking the first two batters he faced. Sophomore Collin Jennings came to bat for Illinois, clearing the bases and making it all the way around himself, as Aden Hill misplayed the ball in right field for an inside-the-park home run.
Hastings’ struggles continued, walking the next batter he faced, then hitting another before being replaced after recording just one out. Graduate Devin Milberg entered the game but couldn’t stop the bleeding, as two more runs scored to stretch the lead to 5-0 after one inning.
Maryland’s offense delivered its first run in the fourth inning. Eddie Hacopian singled and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Hollis Porter came to bat and struck out but reached on a passed ball, while a throwing error allowed Hacopian to score.
However, Omar Melendez couldn’t keep pace with his first two innings, as Illinois responded with two more runs on a no-doubt homer to left field by junior Greg LaChance. Melendez lost his groove, putting two more runners on to end his day and bringing in senior Ryan Van Buren. This didn’t help, though, as Illinois added three more runs to extend its lead to 10-1.
Maryland added a run in the sixth and seventh innings to cut the deficit to seven, after freshman Ryan Bailey pitched a scoreless sixth to give the Terps hope. Illinois didn’t let the Terps’ success last long, tagging Bailey for two runs in the seventh to stretch its lead back to nine runs.
Redshirt sophomore James Gladden made his second appearance of the season for Maryland, but didn’t find any success. After giving free passes to put two runners on, junior Jack Zebig ended it with a three-run shot to force the mercy rule.
Three things to know
- Never a chance. Maryland never led in either of its games Saturday at Illinois, while never getting closer than four runs after the first inning in game two.
- Rock bottom. Head coach Matt Swope described Tuesday’s loss against UMBC as “rock bottom” for any point during his time at Maryland as a player and coach. Two more at Illinois have certainly made things worse.
- Two hundred hits. Senior captain Eddie Hacopian recorded his 200th career hit at Maryland with his single in the fourth inning.