By Tyler Lochte
Midweek games were almost automatic for Maryland last year, losing just one, but this year is a different story. A 10-9 10-inning loss to Georgetown sees the Terps drop their third this season and second in as many weeks.
The Hoyas went after Maryland starting pitcher Nate Haberthier for 3 runs in the top of the first, but Terps’ DH Ian Petrutz returned from injury with a two-run shot later that inning in his first at bat in 10 days.
The score stayed 3-2 until the 5th, when Ubaldo Lopez and Michael Eze each went yard to increase the lead to 6-2. Hacopian would deliver a 2-run double for an immediate answer before Nick Lorusso cut the lead to just 1 an inning later on a ground out.
Maryland looked to have all the momentum until Tommy Kane gave up back-to-back tape measure shots to Lopez and Jake Hyde in the 7th. Eze would collect his 2nd RBI of the day 2 innings later with a single, and just like that, the Hoyas led, 9-5.
Garett Keough started the 9th by retiring two Terps before a run came across, but walks to Zmarzlak and Lambros, and a single by Hacopian sandwiched in between loaded the bases for Luke Shliger. Maryland’s star catcher would rise to the occasion, smacking the first pitch into right for a 2-run single and bringing Maryland’s top hitter to the dish.
Nick Lorusso went just 1/6 on the night, but this was certainly a moment to remember. Lorusso crushed the second pitch he saw to deep left, and a running Bowker saw it bounce out of his glove. Lambros walked home from third while Shliger flew in from first, a high throw sailing over his slide as The Bob went ballistic.
The 2-run error was certainly worth the price of admission for the sparse crowd, a far cry from the packed house over the weekend, but they certainly made plenty of noise in that one moment of magic.
The celebration was short lived. Shaw was intentionally walked to put two on base for Petrutz, who struck out at the hand of new pitcher Everett Catlett.
Ryan Van Buren then relievde David Falco for the top of the 10th, before a leadoff single by Kretzschmar and a go-ahead pinch-hit double by Castillo would silence the home crowd.
Two quick outs would end the top of the 10th, before two quick outs would start the bottom of the game’s extra inning. Luke Ziesloft was brought in to pinch hit for Zach Martin as the final hope for Maryland.
He was coming off his first career home run, and was optimistic before the game.
“Any opportunity I can get, I’m very excited and happy with. Any way I can help my team and just do my thing, go out there and trust what I’ve got, it feels great every time” said the freshman in a pregame interview.
He would strike out swinging on three pitches to end the game.
Maryland coach Rob Vaughn was proud of the effort, but disappointed in the result.
“We competed in the 9th, I mean that game was lost in the middle and we had so many opportunities there,” Vaughn said.
Maryland drops their 13th game of the season tonight. They had just 11 regular season losses last season.
“I’m not going to talk about hey, last year we did this, last year we did that because it is a new team. I know it’s a lot of the same faces but it is a new team. We just haven’t been consistent enough” said Vaughn.
Maryland will play at Ohio State this weekend as they look to get back on track in conference play.
