By Megan Smedley

The Terps offense struggled Thursday afternoon as they could only capture two hits and lost 1-0 to Northwestern. With ace Mike Shawaryn on the mound, the Terps hoped to get out to a series lead in game one .The game started out as a pitcher’s duel with neither team scoring through three innings. Shawaryn was able to work out of a bases loaded jam in the third. Shawaryn allowed a single run in the fifth off a Jack Mitchell double but that was all Northwestern would need. Kevin Smith singled up the middle in the seventh but was stranded on base. Mike Shawaryn went 6.2 innings allowing one run on four hits and picked up his second loss of the year. Robert Galligan and Ryan Selmer finished out the game for the Terps.

The Terps tried to rebound Friday afternoon against Northwestern with freshman Brian Shaffer on the mound. Northwestern struck first in the third inning but Shaffer was able to halt their lead to only 1-0. With two on in the fourth, Anthony Papio stepped to the plate. Papio ripped a double to right scoring Jamal Wade and Jose Cuas. The Terps led 2-1. Shaffer gave up a run in the sixth and was quickly replaced by Robert Galligan. Shaffer went 5.1 innings allowing three runs on six hits and picked up his first loss of the year. Shaffer is now 4-1 on the year. Galligan allowed another run on a Cody Stevens single. Northwestern went up 3-2 and that was all they needed. The Terps threatened in the ninth after Papio singled but were unable to capitalize. With this loss, Northwestern officially won the series.

The Terps tried to finish the season strong with a win against Northwestern on Saturday afternoon. Ryan Selmer was on the mound, making his first career start. Northwestern jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first. They tacked on a pair in the third improving their lead to 3-0. Selmer regained control and was able to hold Northwestern through the rest of his six innings. Selmer went six innings allowing three runs on five hits. Kevin Mooney came in in relief in the seventh inning. The Terps offense awoke in the eighth inning. LaMonte Wade led off the inning with a walk before Kevin Smith ripped a double down the left field. With runners in scoring position, Brandon Lowe stepped to the plate. Lowe delivered with a bloop single to left center, scoring both Wade and Smith. Jose Cuas stepped to the plate and waited patiently for the perfect pitch. After working himself into a full count, Cuas hit a two-run homerun to left field putting Maryland in the lead 4-3. It was Cuas’ team-leading 11th homerun of the year. Mooney returned in the eighth and narrowly escaped a bases-loaded jam. Mooney picked up his third win of the year as the Terps went onto win 4-3. Following the series, Maryland finishes out the regular season with a 36-20 record and 14-10 in the Big Ten. The team now travels to Minneapolis for the Big Ten tournament. Maryland needs to do well in the tournament to secure a spot in the College World Series tournament.