Fresh off their biggest win of the season, Maryland baseball was looking to win the series against No. 12 USC. 

But the Terps bats went quiet, leaving ten runners on base. The pitching didn’t fare much better, giving up 15 hits and eight walks in Maryland’s 14-4 defeat. The game finished after eight innings due to the run-rule. 

Despite the loss, head coach Matt Swope kept a positive attitude. 

“When we’re not giving up freebies, we’re going toe to toe,” said Swope. “So I was really happy with the way we competed.”

The Trojans showed they can score in multiple ways Sunday afternoon. Behind a small-ball approach, USC plated three runs in the first inning off an RBI groundout, a walk and a sacrifice fly. 

In the second inning, the Trojans’ power took shape. Augie Lopez crushed a three-run homer to right center field, ending Maryland starter Jake Yeager’s day. Yeager threw just one full inning and gave up six runs. He did not record a strikeout and walked four batters. 

Brayden Ryan entered in relief, but that did not slow down the Trojans’ offense. Adrian Lopez immediately hit a bomb to dead center field. 

After that, Ryan settled in a bit. He pitched a clean third before a rough fourth inning. Kevin Takeuchi roped an RBI single and Maddox Riske followed with a two-run single. 

Meanwhile, the Terps were mostly held in check by Andrew Johnson. But they played some small ball of their own and managed three runs through the first three innings. Rylen Stockton starred, collecting two RBIs on a sacrifice fly and a walk. 

Johnson’s day ended in the fourth. He allowed three runs and struck out two in his start. 

During the middle innings, Maryland’s offense continued to sputter while USC poured it on. 

Ryan Bailey threw three innings in relief for the Terps. He gave up three runs on five hits — two of those runs via Augie Lopez, whose strong day continued with a solo homerun in the seventh. He finished with six RBIs on the day. 

The Trojans’ Gavin Lauridsen shut down the bats for Maryland. The Terps managed just one run in three innings against him, which came on a Jackson Sirois sacrifice fly. 

The one bright spot on offense today was Brayden Martin, who went 2-for-3 with two walks. He also scored half of the Terps’ four runs. 

Austin Weiss pitched the eighth for the Terps and gave up one run to bring USC’s lead to ten. 

Sax Matson finished off Maryland, throwing two nearly perfect innings to end the game. 

The Terps have Richmond on Tuesday before a weekend series at Ohio State. 

“I still really think we’re a good team,” said Swope. “I guess we could just play a little bit better baseball and minimize the freebie.”