By Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_301)
After defeating Tennessee Friday night, the Terps continued their strong offensive showing into Saturday, beating Southeastern Louisiana University 8-1. The Terps would suffer their first loss of the 13th annual Keith LeClair Classic Sunday afternoon to East Carolina University, 4-3.
On Saturday, Terps’ starting pitcher Taylor Bloom threw his second gem in a row, allowing just one run in seven innings and only giving up four total hits. Last week, Bloom struck out nine over eight innings, giving up just one run.
But last week, the Terps offense wasted Bloom’s remarkable performance, dropping a 1-0 game to Rhode Island. Saturday, the Terps offense made sure they wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
The Terps would score at least one run in the first three innings against Tennessee, chasing the Lions’ starting pitcher Max Sceroler just after two innings. Sceroler walked five of the 13 batters he faced, giving the Terps plenty of opportunities to capitalize early on.
In the third inning, left fielder Marty Costes hit a three-run homerun to stretch the Terps lead out to 5-1. The Terps added three runs in the final three innings to close out one of their best wins of the season thus far.
On Sunday, the Terps dropped their first game of the weekend, losing in a 4-3 thriller with East Carolina.
In the fifth inning, shortstop Kevin Smith led things off with a solo homerun to give the Terps a 1-0 lead. The next batter, center fielder Madison Nickens, drew a walk, second baseman Nick Dunn would single him in to put the Terps up two.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Pirates would tie the game after third baseman Eric Tyler hit a two-run homerun to left. In the seventh, the Pirates would take their first lead of the game after a throwing error by Terps’ shortstop Kevin Smith.
Nick Dunn would get his second RBI of the afternoon in the top of the eighth inning, when he doubled down the left field line, scoring Nickens and tying the game up at three.
But the Pirates would answer in the bottom half of the inning, when Dwanya Williams-Sutton doubled down the right field line, scoring Tyler.
The Terps could not muster anything in the top of the ninth inning, as the Pirates would close the game and defeat the Terps.
The Terps are back in action Wednesday, when George Washington visits College Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
