Game 1: Terps win, 17-1, Friday afternoon

Maryland started its weekend with a dominant win over the Princeton Tigers, 17-1. The win was an encouraging sight considering the Terps entered the game losers of three of their last four. 

Left hander Kyle McCoy started his third game of the season as Maryland’s Friday starter. McCoy entered the game with an ERA under one and a WHIP of just over one, but it didn’t take long for Princeton to score its first run.

On the third pitch of the game, Princeton’s leadoff hitter — Jake Koonin — blasted McCoy’s offering deep to right center. The ball continued to carry over the fence leaving the Terps’ outfielders without a play and giving the Tigers the early advantage. 

That was the only run Maryland’s redshirt sophomore allowed.

McCoy dismantled the Tigers lineup from that point on retiring the next 12 batters he faced. McCoy struck out nine Princeton batters — tying his career high — and didn’t allow another hit until Dylan Zdunek singled in the top of the fifth. By that point the Terps held control of the game.

After stranding Chris Hacopian at second base in the bottom of the first, Maryland’s offense exploded to score ten runs in the bottom of the second. The onslaught started with Maryland’s transfer first baseman Hollis Porter. 

Porter clobbered Tigers starter James Beasley’s 2-1 offering past the fence in center field, tying the score at one apiece. Michael Iannazzo followed with a single, starting as the Terps designated hitter for the third time this season. Aden Hill stepped to the plate with Iannazzo standing at first and delivered Maryland’s second homer of the game with a long fly to right field. 

The next six Maryland batters all reached base adding four more runs to its tally courtesy of RBI hits from Brayden Martin, Eddie Hacopian, and Chris Hacopian, eventually getting Hill back to the plate with two runners on. Now facing relief pitcher Jackson Baldate, Hill worked his way into an advantage count. On Baldate’s 2-0 pitch, Hill swung and lifted the ball in the same place he did his first at-bat, sending three more runs to home plate.

Hill finished the inning responsible for half of Maryland’s ten runs in the inning and became the first Terp since Will Watson in 2018 to hit multiple home runs in an inning. Maryland’s terrific display of hitting provided them with a 10-1 lead. 

The Terps coasted from there riding the incredible performance of McCoy who finished his outing after seven innings of work, allowing only four hits and the one run. Maryland added to its run total in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings providing a large runway for Freshman reliever Cristofer Cespedes to finish the game. 

Cespedes threw two shutout innings in relief while striking out three batters, rebounding well from his four walk debut against Western Carolina.  

Game 2: Terps win, 10-7, Saturday afternoon

Maryland ended the series against Princeton defeating the Tigers, 10-7, behind the pitching of Omar Melendez and another strong offensive output by the lineup. 

Melendez started on the mound for the second time this season after stepping in for an injured Evan Smith last weekend. Melendez pitched well in his first start going four innings against Western Carolina allowing only two runs. The senior southpaw improved on that performance in this outing. 

Melendez followed a similar script to McCoy’s outing, starting the game by giving up an opening inning run. Melendez regrouped and performed well from there, scattering two more runs over the other five innings he pitched. Melendez finished his outing after six innings of work allowing three earned runs on eight hits.

The Terps lineup performed well against Princeton pitching, scoring three runs through the first three innings via singles from Eddie Hacopian, Aden Hill, and Freshman Colin Gibbs in his first collegiate start.

Maryland scored four more runs in the eighth inning. Eddie Hacopian started the scoring with a solo homer — his first of the year. The Terps scored their next two runs on a hit by pitch and fielder’s choice and their third came from Gibbs’ third hit of the day, a single through the right side of the infield. 

Gibbs finished the day three-for-four with two RBIs getting the start at shortstop for Chris Hacopian. Hacopian exited the first game against Princeton in the third inning. 

The Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but Andrew Johnson came in and stopped the scoring earning his first save of the season. 

The Terps had little time to celebrate the sweep beginning their series against No. 12 Wake Forest soon after the victory. 

*Andrew Diveley will have coverage of the Wake Forest Series*