All hope looked lost for Maryland baseball after a backbreaking grand slam gave Delaware a one-run lead in the ninth inning.
Despite a five-run lead entering the final frame, the Terps’ bullpen imploded again. They looked poised to suffer another brutal loss.
But the Terps’ bats came through like they had all game long in the bottom of the ninth.
Consecutive walks to start the inning were immediately followed up by two quick outs. That left Maryland’s fate in the hands of Ryan Costello. He came through, blooping an RBI single to tie the game up. Paul Jones II scorched a ball right past the shortstop to give the Terps a walkoff win, 15-14, over Delaware at “Bob Turtle” Smith Stadium.
“That was awesome, it’s really everything that you ever dream for,” Jones II said. “Being able to come through like that is awesome for the team.”
Noah Burroughs crushed a pair of grand slams for the Blue Hens, including a shot to left center field to give Delaware the lead in the ninth. But it was not enough, as the Terps’ offense responded to every Blue Hen punch.
“Give credit to these guys and the group for sticking together,” coach Matt Swope said. “We needed that win, and so it was a great comeback here.”
The Terps’ offense had its way all game long. In the first inning, Brayden Martin walked and then stole second. He was quickly driven in on an RBI single right back up the middle from David Mendez.
The Blue Hens responded, however, and LT Cockrill crushed a home run to left field to lead off the second.
The back-and-forth game continued, and it was the Terps’ turn to score.
Rylen Stockton doubled, and shortly after, Jackon Sirois smoked a ball right over the head of the left fielder for an RBI double. Sirois completed his trip around the bases by scoring on a passed ball just one batter later.
The Blue Hens responded. After drawing three straight walks to begin the third inning, they forced out Terps’ starter Landon Edwards.
Edwards pitched just two innings, allowed four runs, struck out three batters, but walked six.
Brayden Ryan came in and failed to limit the damage. Delaware scored on a fielder’s choice hit by Anthony DeCeasare, and then Burroughs clobbered a grand slam to dead center field.
But the Terps’ bats immediately replied. Stockton and Antonio Morales each lined an RBI double, down the left and right-field lines, respectively. This forced Blue Hens starter Chase Deibler out of the game, having given up five runs across his seven outs recorded.
Brady Blum came in for Delaware, but that did not slow down the Terps’ offense. Ty Kaunas destroyed a two-RBI double off the top of the center field wall, and Costello brought him home with an extra-base hit of his own.
The runs kept coming for the Blue Hens, as well. Evan Bouldin smashed a bomb to left field to lead off the fourth.
The Terps bats, however, couldn’t be slowed down. Jones II led off the inning with a homer and Bud Coombs launched a moonshot to left field for a two-run home run.
Things finally quieted down over the next few innings. Joseph Fredericks and James Gladden came in for the Terps and shut down the Blue Hens.
Case Gibbs briefly entered the game, but left with an elbow injury. Andrew Koshy came in the seventh inning and gave up a solo homer to left-center by way of Vincent Davis.
Meanwhile, Jake Marchesano was shutting down Maryland hitters. He pitched three and 1/3 innings, allowing just two baserunners.
Koshy threw a scoreless eighth inning with a pair of strikeouts.
The Terps’ bats awoke from the dead in the eighth inning. Stockton finished a strong day at the plate by smacking an RBI single. He was 3-of-5 with two RBIs and two doubles.
Koshy then allowed two to score in the ninth, before Jayson Torres came in and gave up the grand slam.
But then Jones II pushed Maryland on the right side of a walk-off victory, giving the Terps a much-needed win after a rough weekend, where they got swept.
