Maryland lost its second mid-week game of the season, 13-3, against William and Mary.
The Terps marched into this game taking two of three from Iowa for their first conference series win of the year. The Terps accomplished the feat behind the lumber of Matt Shaw who over the weekend went 7 for 12, racking up nine RBI and two home runs. William and Mary entered this game winners of five straight. The Tribe swept their weekend series against St. John’s, outscoring them, 22-11.
Maryland sent Ryan Van Buren to the mound for his second mid-week start of the season. Van Buren’s first start of the year came against West Virginia, a game the Terps lost, 8-6. Van Buren wasn’t able to get out of the first inning in that one, pitching two-thirds of an inning, allowing four earned runs. The Tribe sent Brian Craven to the mound. Craven entered the game with a 6.38 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in eight appearances this year.
Maryland got the scoring started in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Matt Woods. Woods’ fly out scored Nick Lorusso from third, after the third baseman extended his hitting streak to 27 games with a double in his first at bat.
The Tribe struck back in the next half inning putting up a three spot against the Maryland starter. The Tribe got the top of the second started with a single by Tank Yaghoubi. An error by Kevin Keister allowed another runner to reach base, bringing up Cole Ragone.
Ragone hit the first pitch he saw, sending the ball up the middle. The ball ended up hitting the leg of Van Buren and bouncing into right field. The change of trajectory allowed Yaghoubi to score on the play tying the game. Ryan Bhojwani squeezed a double just inside the left field line to bring another runner home. The third run of the inning came on an RBI groundout, putting the Terps in an early, 3-1 hole.
Maryland climbed out of the hole in the bottom of half of the second, facing a new Tribe pitcher, Owen Pierce. Pierce started the bottom of the second allowing the first two Maryland batters to reach base. Elijah Lambros drove in one with a single through the hole between shortstop and third and Luke Shliger drove in the second with a sacrifice fly. The two RBI’s tied the score, 3-3.
The tie was broken in the top of the fourth after an inside-the-park home run off the bat of Max Winters. Winters belted a 2-0 offering from Van Buren to the fence in deep right field. Woods hustled to the wall to attempt to make a play, crashing into the wall. Woods remained down for some time before walking off on his own power. Woods was removed from the game and checked for a concussion, said head coach Rob Vaughn.
Luke Zeisloft replaced Woods in right.
The homer ended the day for Van Buren. Logan Ott came on in relief, but immediately ran into trouble. Joe Delossantos blasted a 2-0 pitch over the scoreboard in left field tacking on another run. Ott got the final out of the inning on a fly ball to right field, but not before the Tribe secured a 6-3 lead.
William and Mary added an insurance run in the top of the sixth via a solo homer off the bat of Luca Danos. Danos’ first home run of the year increased the Tribe lead, 7-3.
The William and Mary pitching staff shut down the Maryland hitters through the middle part of the game. The Tribe held the Terps scoreless from the third inning through the sixth, allowing just four baserunners in that span.
“Just wish we’d done a little bit better job in the middle of giving ourselves a chance, we just weren’t good enough,” said Vaughn.
William and Mary continued to pad the lead, adding three more in the top of the seventh. After Logan Ott allowed the first two batters to reach base, Joey Colucci was brought in with runners on first and second and no outs. Colucci got one out then loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch. A single by Nick Lottchea and a couple of walks pushed across three.
“Ideally, you don’t want to kind of bring him into the fire. But he came in there because we trusted him in that spot,” said Vaughn. “Obviously Joe wasn’t great today, didn’t command it, but he’s going to be in that opportunity. I trust that guy.”
The Terps threatened in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with two outs. William and Mary pitcher Rojo Prarie pitched out of the trouble, striking out Eddie Hacopian to end the threat.
A six walk top of the eighth, pushed across two more for the Tribe, increasing their run total to 12. That total increased once more with a run in the top of the ninth making the score, 13-3. This proved to be the final score.
Maryland used a total of seven pitchers in the game, three of which were freshmen. They combined to walk 14 batters and gave up 12 hits as well.
The Terp bats didn’t provide much help to their pitching staff. The Maryland lineup was held scoreless from the third inning on. In that time the Terps amassed a total of six hits and had 10 total baserunners.
“I thought they [William and Mary] did a great job. They didn’t put anything on for free, I’ll tell you that. I think we walked three, maybe four times all day today,” said Vaughn. “They were efficient, they threw strikes, and they each have a niche.”
Maryland will have a couple of off days before they welcome Rutgers to College Park for a weekend series, starting on Friday.
