Friday: Maryland defeats UAB, 6-3
Maryland baseball opened its season with a 6-3 win over UAB at the Swig & Swine College Classic in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Blazers got on the board first in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI single from Todd Clay. But, the Terps responded in a big way in the bottom half of the inning.
Maryland’s Chris Hacopian launched a grand slam to left field — his 16th career home run and second career grand slam — putting the Terps ahead by three.
Maryland plated all three more runs later in the inning, scoring all six of its runs in the fourth.
Maryland’s starter, Kyle McCoy, made his long-awaited return to the mound after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. The redshirt sophomore pitched four strong innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out four. McCoy earned his fifth career win for his effort.
“I mean, seeing Kyle compete is very fun, just because you know the way he just bears down and truly competes,” said Chris Hacopian. “It’s really beautiful to watch him compete again, for sure.”
UAB cut into the lead in the eighth inning with a two-run single by Nick Hollifield, but Maryland’s bullpen held the Blazers in check the rest of the way.
Eddie Hacopian — now wearing Maryland’s prestigious No. 3 and serving as team captain — finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run. He also made his debut at third base after transitioning from first in the offseason.
Three transfers—Hollis Porter, Liam Willson, and Aden Hill—made their Maryland debuts starting in the heart of the lineup.
It was the second time in three seasons that Maryland hit a grand slam in a season opener.
Saturday Morning: Maryland loses to Ball State, 5-3
Maryland dropped its second game of the Swig & Swine College Classic, falling to Ball State, 5-3.
The Cardinals jumped ahead early, scoring three runs in the first inning against the Terps’ new Saturday starter, Joey McMannis.
Ball State’s first run came as a result of a fielding error by Eddie Hacopian at third and was immediately followed by a two-RBI single from right fielder Clay Jacobs.
The Terps responded in the third with Eddie Hacopian’s RBI double that drove in Brayden Martin from third base.
Maryland cut the deficit to one in the fifth when Alex Calarco crushed a solo home run to left field. An inning later, Hollis Porter tied the game with his first career Division I home run — an opposite-field solo shot.
But Ball State answered right back with a two-run homer by DJ Scheumann in the bottom of the sixth, regaining a lead it would never relinquish.
Maryland had chances in the seventh and eighth innings with runners in scoring position, but couldn’t capitalize.
Martin led the Terps offensively going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a stolen base.
McMannis threw four innings and struck out a career-high six batters, allowing three runs on three hits. Omar Melendez and Logan Hastings pitched in relief. Hastings made his collegiate debut, striking out two while allowing just one hit.
“I thought it was a pretty good baseball game overall,” said Maryland head coach Matt Swope. “We just got to be clean.”
The loss dropped Maryland to 1-1 on the season.
Saturday Night: Maryland defeats Mercyhurst, 19-1
Maryland closed out the Swig & Swine College Classic with an offensive explosion, routing Mercyhurst, 19-1.
The Terps took an early lead when Jordan Crosland blasted his first home run of the season to left field. Mercyhurst tied the game in the third with an RBI triple from Ryan Ventura, but Maryland took control from there.
In the fourth, Maryland capitalized on defensive miscues to score twice, taking a 3-1 lead. The Terps then broke the game open in the fifth with a six-run inning highlighted by a grand slam from Alex Calarco.Calarco’s blast to center field plated Crosland, Aden Hill, and Liam Willson.
Later in the inning, Chris Hacopian doubled to left, driving in two more runs and extending Maryland’s lead to 9-1.
The Terps kept piling on and in the sixth inning Calarco launched his second home run of the game — a three-run shot to left field — stretching the lead to 14-1.
“For him to get, you know, two big swings like that was big for the team and uplifting for everyone,” Swope said.
Maryland’s pitching dominated, limiting Mercyhurst to just one run on a handful of scattered hits. Evan Smith started and struck out two in two innings. Jaren Wren and David Milberg combined for seven innings of one-run relief, striking out seven batters.
The Terps’ scored five more runs in the eighth inning and put the game completely out of reach.
With the win, Maryland improved to 2-1 on the season.
The Terps return home to face Delaware on Tuesday in the season’s inaugural mid-week game.
