Entering Sunday, Maryland baseball still had a strong chance to earn a spot in the Big Ten Tournament.
The Terps sat just three games behind Michigan State, and a win Sunday would give them the head-to-head advantage.
However, the Terps’ pitching once again imploded en route to the Terps 13-1 run-rule loss to the Spartans in seven innings.
“You still fight and try to make the tournament and do whatever you can,” said head coach Matt Swope. “Never taking a day for granted and playing with a lot of pride, playing hard, and we still have a chance to make the tournament.
Overall, it was a series to forget for the Maryland pitching staff. They gave up 35 runs over three games.
Nic Morlang began the day for the Terps. Morlang has had an up-and-down season as the Terps’ usual Tuesday starter, entering the day with a 3-3 record and a 7.09 ERA.
But Sunday was not his day. The Spartans knocked a two-run homer before Morlang recorded an out, and scored again before he could make it out of the first inning. Morlang allowed three earned runs in his brief appearance.
First out of the bullpen for the Terps was Jake Yeager. Recently, Yeager has been in a groove. Through four outings in April, he has not allowed an earned run, lowering his ERA by nearly four runs to 6.82.
However, Yeager struggled Sunday, never finding his footing. Like Morlang, he finished just ⅔ of an inning. But he allowed eight runs, putting Maryland in a deep hole early.
The big blast for MSU came from Ryan McKay, who smacked a grand slam during the Spartans’ eight-run second inning.
Ryan Bailey was Swope’s next choice out of the bullpen. After giving up a three-run homer to the first batter he faced, Bailey settled in and recorded six straight outs.
Meanwhile, Carter Monke, the Spartans’ starting pitcher, shut down the Terps’ offense. He went five strong innings, allowing just one run and only four baserunners total.
Ty Kaunas knocked a solo shot in the fifth inning to put the Terps on the board. Kaunas has been playing superbly recently, recording a hit in seven of Maryland’s last eight games.
Lance Williams closed out the game for the Terps. Despite starting the season as the Terps’ Friday starter, Williams now mostly operates out of the bullpen. On Sunday, Williams found his groove. Over two and ⅔ innings, Williams allowed just one run, while striking out six Spartans.
As the Terps continue to look for answers in their weekend starting rotation, Williams may earn himself another shot after his solid outing on Sunday.
It was clear that Sunday was not pretty for the Terps. The Spartans had a 12-0 lead after the second inning. Maryland was completely out of the game, and it was one of its worst performances of the season.
On top of the poor pitching performance, the Terps’ pitchers are having trouble staying healthy.
“We barely have enough guys through the weekend,” said Swope.
As Maryland enters the home stretch of the season, it will need someone to step up amidst a slew of injuries.
