Maryland baseball: Northwestern takes series, UMBC takes midweek matchup, prep ahead for crucial Big Ten clash vs. Illinois

Maryland baseball dropped below .500 overall this week as head coach Matt Swope looks to reverse course on a disappointing 202 season. We take a look at how we got here, the look ahead and takeaways:

Maryland Drops Series to Northwestern Despite Offensive Fireworks in Finale

After a gut-wrenching extra-inning loss and a blowout defeat to open the weekend, Maryland baseball salvaged some pride on Sunday with an explosive 22-11 run-rule win to close out its home series against Northwestern. The Terps dropped two of three in the Big Ten matchup, falling to 14-14 on the season and 3-6 in conference play.

The series opener on Friday saw the Terps take a late lead, only to watch it slip away in dramatic fashion. Up 5-3 in the ninth, Maryland handed the ball to closer Joey McMannis, but Northwestern star Trent Liolios launched a game-tying two-run homer to force extras.

One inning later, Tyler Ganus went deep to give the Wildcats a 6-5 lead, and Maryland couldn't respond in the bottom half. Despite strong outings from starter Kyle McCoy and big bats from Hollis Porter and Aden Hill, Maryland was left with a frustrating loss after a missed opportunity to close the door.

Saturday’s game unraveled early and never recovered. Freshman Logan Hastings struggled through a chaotic start, and the bullpen couldn't contain the damage. Jackson Freeman torched Maryland pitching with eight RBIs — including a second-inning grand slam — as the Wildcats coasted to an 18-8 run-rule victory in seven innings. Porter once again led Maryland’s offense with four RBIs, but defensive miscues and a shaky bullpen doomed the Terps, who used five pitchers in the lopsided defeat.

Sunday, though, was a different story. Maryland’s offense exploded for five home runs and 22 runs in just seven innings to secure a run-rule win of its own. Alex Calarco hit two towering homers — including a three-run shot in the second — while Hollis Porter capped a five-hit day with his second home run of the afternoon.

Starter Jake Yeager was solid through four innings before running into trouble in the fifth, but the Terps had already built an insurmountable lead. A dominant six-run sixth inning — highlighted by Porter’s three-run bomb — put the game out of reach and allowed Maryland to end the weekend on a high note.

While the Terps dropped the series, the offensive outbursts from Porter, Calarco, and the Hacopian brothers provided momentum heading into their midweek game against UMBC and a crucial conference series next weekend against Illinois.

Late Homer Sinks Terps in First Home Loss to UMBC in Two Decades

Coming off their explosive Sunday win over Northwestern, Maryland failed to carry momentum into its Tuesday matchup against in-state rival UMBC, falling 5-2 in a game defined by missed opportunities and timely Retrievers’ hitting.

Despite combining for 14 hits and 14 free bases (via walks and hit batters), both offenses struggled to convert chances into runs, each stranding 10 runners. The game turned in the top of the eighth when UMBC’s Derek Paris launched a go-ahead two-run homer off the left field foul pole against Maryland reliever Cristofer Cespedes, giving the Retrievers a 4-2 lead. UMBC added an insurance run in the ninth and sealed its first win at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium in 20 years.

Maryland starter Brayden Ryan and UMBC’s Sergio Droz both showed early control issues, but neither side capitalized. The Terps had leadoff base runners in four different innings without bringing them home — a recurring theme that frustrated head coach Matt Swope.

“In the first, the third, the fifth, the seventh, we had a lead-off guy on and didn’t score,” Swope said postgame. “When [they give us] three freebies, you gotta push something across right there.”

After falling behind 1-0 in the third, Maryland briefly took the lead in the fourth when Jacob Orr doubled and Elijah Lambros crushed a two-run homer to left — his second of the season. But that would be the only scoring for the Terps, whose bats went quiet down the stretch.

VCU transfer James Gladden made his first appearance as a Terp following Tommy John surgery, receiving a warm reception after a solid outing despite allowing the game-tying run in the sixth.

Maryland relievers held the line until Paris’ blast broke the deadlock. UMBC closer Nick Remy then dominated the Terps in the final two and some change innings, earning an eight-out save and squashing any hopes of a Maryland comeback.

“We just haven’t been consistent all year,” Swope said. “It’s up one day and down the next.”

Now 14-15 on the season, Maryland will look to find some stability this weekend as they head to Champaign for a pivotal Big Ten series against Illinois.

Terps Travel to Champaign for Must-Win Big Ten Battle

Looking to regain their footing in conference play, Maryland heads to Champaign this weekend for a three-game series against Illinois — a team also seeking consistency in a competitive Big Ten race.

The Fighting Illini enter the weekend riding some momentum after taking two of three from Michigan State and cruising to a midweek 8-2 win over Illinois State. Offensively, Illinois has been powered by the red-hot bat of Collin Jennings, who has erupted for four home runs and 15 RBIs over his last six games.

Maryland’s pitching staff will be tested by an Illini lineup that has found its rhythm in recent weeks, while the Terps’ offense — led by Hollis Porter, Alex Calarco, and the Hacopian brothers — will aim to replicate the explosive form they showed in their series finale against Northwestern.

With both teams hovering around the middle of the conference standings, this series carries added weight. For the Terps, it's a chance to turn the tide on a rollercoaster season. For the Illini, it’s an opportunity to build on recent success and climb the Big Ten ladder.

By: Henry Lilienfeld

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