Friday Night: MD wins 5-4

Head coach Matt Swope won his first game as the new head coach of the Maryland Terrapins in a come from behind effort. 

The Terps started Kenny Lippman on the mound coming off last season in which he appeared in 31 games, starting only three. Lippman weaved his way out of trouble in the first three innings, but it caught up to him in the bottom of the fourth. 

Georgia Southern had the bases loaded and no outs and T. J. McKenzie at the plate. Lippman got McKenzie to pop out to first base and then followed it up by striking out Cade Parker. Lippman was just one out away from getting through unscathed, but the right hander allowed a walk to the next batter and a passed ball drove in the first two runs of the game.

Logan Berrier entered the game in relief for Lippman to start the fifth inning. The Eagles welcomed him by adding a run to their tally making it a 3-0 game. 

Iowa transfer Sam Hojnar started the top of the sixth inning for the Terps blasting a leadoff triple to deep center field, his first hit as a Terrapin. Maryland’s new captain Kevin Keister drove him in with a single a batter later. 

Georgia Southern added one more in the bottom half of the inning. Josh Tate got the Eagles only extra base hit of the evening, a double to left field that scored Luke Odden from first. 

Jacob Orr blasted Maryland’s first home run of the season over the left field wall in the top of the seventh to bring Maryland within one run. Following a 1-2-3 inning by Berrier in the bottom half, Eddie Hacopian and Devin Russell worked together to tie the game in the eighth. 

Hacopian doubled to right center with two outs, bringing the sophomore catcher to the plate in a big spot. Russell responded to the moment, lining a single to left field, tying the game.

The game went into the final frame tied up at 4-4. Orr led off the ninth with a single, flipping the lineup over to the top. Freshman Brayden Martin bunted Orr to second causing Georgia Southern to bring in its closer Ben Johnson. Johnson struggled against his first assignment, Chris Hacopian, walking the freshman. The corners were occupied for Hojnar who came through for the Terps, sending Johnson’s pitch to center field, scoring Orr on a sacrifice fly.

Nate Haberthier came in and closed the game for Maryland flirting with danger after hitting the second batter he faced. The game’s final out was made by Martin. In an all out sprint for the ball in left field, the freshman made the running catch securing Maryland’s first win of the season.  

Saturday: MD wins 7-1

A weekend of firsts continued for Swope and the Terrapins. The Terps won their first series of the year and the first under Swope. 

The Terrapin bats struck earlier in this game thanks to Chris Hacopian’s first collegiate hit of his career. Hacopian stood in the box in the top of the third inning with Jacob Orr standing on first. Hacopian got a pitch he could handle, blasting the pitch over the left field wall. Hacopian’s first collegiate home run put Maryland up by two through the first three innings. 

The Terps added another run in the top of the fourth via a two out single by Elijah Lambros. Georgia Southern designated hitter Sean Smith started the bottom half of the inning with a single to left center. Jarrett Brown hit a double deep down the left field line scoring Smith from first and getting the run they surrendered right back. 

That was the only run that the Eagles scored as a trio of Maryland newcomers shut down the Eagle lineup. 

Logan Koester started the game on the mound. Koester came to Maryland from George Washington where he was the Friday starter as a redshirt junior. Koester made 14 starts last season throwing one complete game, leading the A-10 in innings pitched. Koester threw four innings in this game allowing three hits and the only Georgia Southern run. 

Freshman Joey McMannis took over for Koester to start the fifth and pitched four innings of his own. The Maryland native allowed only one hit in his collegiate debut and struck out two batters.

The final pitcher to take the bump was left hander Trystan Sarcone. Sarcone transferred to Maryland from Dartmouth where he made 12 appearances last season. Sarcone pitched the ninth inning for the Terps retiring the side in order and notching his first strikeout as a Terp. 

Maryland added runs in the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings to ensure its second victory of the season. Alex Calarco was one of the players responsible for a Terrapin score in the ninth inning. Calarco sent a high fly ball over the wall in right field earning his first home run as a Terp. 

Sunday: MD loses 7-3

The Dirty Terps couldn’t avoid the one first all teams wish never comes, their first loss of the season. 

Maryland sent Meade Johnson to the mound to start the game. Johnson transferred to Maryland from Division II Heartland Community College where he sported a 3.67 ERA and a perfect 7-0 record. 

Johnson made it through the first two innings without allowing a run, but the Eagles struck for three runs in the third. Johnson started the inning by walking Luke Odden. Josh Tate followed with a bunt single moving Odden into scoring position. Sam Blancato drove in Odden with a single to right field for the Eagles’ first run of the game. Georgia Southern scored its other two runs of the inning on a wild pitch and sacrifice fly, putting the Terps in a 2-run hole. 

That lead was enough for the Eagles’ starting pitcher, Ty Fisher. Fisher pitched a strong game throwing over 100 pitches across six innings. Fisher allowed only one Maryland run which was scored in the top of the third on a Brayden Martin single through the right side.

Johnson exited the game in the fourth inning after allowing two runs to come across after getting the first out. Johnson pitched three and a third innings allowing five runs, four hits, and five walks. Alex Walsh relieved Johnson in the fourth and got through the final two batters without the leading increasing. 

Maryland’s bats made a minor resurgence in the top of the seventh after Fisher departed for Davis Smith. 

Kevin Keister led off the inning getting to second base on an error by the Eagles’ third baseman. Eddie Hacopian followed with a single through the right side, putting runners on the corners. Jacob Orr continued his hot start driving in Keister and a passed ball later in the inning allowed Hacopian to score. 

Those two runs were the end of Maryland’s scoring for the game. The Eagles added two more runs in the later stages of the game earning them their first victory of the new season.