Maryland baseball appeared headed for a barnburner Saturday afternoon, as it held just a one-run lead after the sixth.

However, that was not the case. The Terps’ offense scored five runs over the final three innings, headlined by a Rylen Stocken two-run homer. 

The late-inning surge helped propel the Terps to a 9-3 win over Troy.

“Just a really, really good response and I’m proud of them,” said head coach Matt Swope following the Terps bounceback win. 

The Terps’ offense found its footing early, when David Mendez launched a ball to deep left-center field for a two-run homer in the first inning. 

But that lead did not hold for long, with Maryland starter Evan Smith struggling in the second inning.  Josh Pyne ripped an RBI double for Troy, followed by Zaid Diaz and Blake Cahill each knocking in RBI singles. 

Maryland’s bats responded right away, when lefty Aden Hill led off with an opposite-field home run, his first of the season. 

Smith then settled in for the Terps, recording back-to-back scoreless innings. In his second start back from Tommy John surgery, Smith threw four innings and allowed three runs. His pitch count was up to 61 today. 

“I thought he was really good,” said Swope. “We’re going to need him in conference.”

Meanwhile, for the Trojans, starter Noah Thigpen ran into some trouble in the fifth.  Colin Gibbs smacked a pinch-hit RBI single, chasing Thigpen from the game. 

Thigpen pitched four ⅓ innings, allowing four runs while striking out five.  Relieving Smith out of the bullpen for the Terps was Nic Morlang. 

Morlang, who was starting on Saturdays before Smith returned to the rotation, made his case for why he should remain the starter. 

He pitched two scoreless innings while striking out four batters. 

For Troy, it was Zach Crotchfelt out of the bullpen. He kept the Terps’ offense under wraps initially, but eventually they got to him. 

Ryan Costello drove in his 24th run of the season on an RBI single to give the Terps a key insurance run in the seventh. 

Costello has been unbelievably productive this season and is now tied for the second-most RBIs in the nation. 

Logan Hastings was next out of the bullpen for the Terps, and he continues to play like an All-Big Ten-caliber pitcher. 

He started his afternoon by striking out the side in the seventh. 

Insurance runs kept coming for the Terps, this time by way of RBI doubles off the bat of Hill and Brayden Martin.  Martin had another strong day for the Terps, reaching base four times. 

Things got dicey for the Terps after Hastings let the first two runners reach in the eighth. But Hastings hunkered down and retired the next three batters to keep the Terps’ lead at four. 

After Stockton’s two-run homer in the ninth, Hastings came back out and finished off the Terps win.  Hastings pitched three innings for the Terps and struck out eight batters.

“[Hastings’] been a dog and lights out,” said Swope. “We knew we were going to go to him in the seventh.”