The sixth inning started hot for Maryland baseball, as Devin Russell hit a three-run home run en route to a four-run inning, helping it retake the lead. 

However, the Terps’ bullpen faltered again.

Maryland’s relievers allowed four runs to score in the bottom of the sixth, which proved to be too much for the Terps to come back from, falling to Richmond, 7-5.

The Terps offense got started early with a sacrifice fly by Rylen Stockton. That lead was quickly erased, as Jackson Kraemer’s two-run homer gave the Spiders a two-run lead in the second inning. 

Richmond went with a bullpen day in this midweek matchup. Starting pitcher Khris Morris, the Spiders’ usual right fielder, threw two innings, allowing just one run. 

Maryland went with Nic Morlang to start the game. Morlang, pitching in his home state, threw four solid innings, giving up three runs while striking out three. He was in serious trouble in the fourth, until Brayden Martin made a diving play at third base to save a run and end the inning. 

That defensive highlight was much needed for a struggling Terps defense, which, after committing five errors over the weekend, had two more today.  

Maryland’s bats were mostly held in check by Spider relievers Sam Young and Christian Dray. Until they finally broke through against Dray in the sixth. Russell launched a three-run homer to left field that gave the Terps the lead back. This was only Russell’s fifth start of the season, and he delivered in a big moment. 

Ryan Costello followed with an RBI single to give Maryland a two-run lead. 

However, the Terps’ lead did not last for long.

Landon Edwards followed Morlang, and despite a clean fifth, his recent struggles continued in the sixth. The Spiders quickly retook the lead after a two RBI double by Dylan Winebrenner and a two RBI single by Michael Elko. 

That quickly ended Edwards’ day, after he allowed four runs in just 1 ⅔ innings. Andrew Koshy came on for the Terps and managed to limit the damage, keeping it just a two-run game.

Koshy pitched well Tuesday afternoon, throwing 2⅓ scoreless innings, and kept Maryland within striking distance.

But the Spiders’ pitching, which had nine different guys take the mound on Tuesday, managed to finish off the Terps.

This was the first time the Terps and Spiders have met since 2018. Richmond now leads the all-time series 7-6.