After letting its lead slip away, Maryland baseball avoids disaster with 9-8 win over Portland

Maryland baseball let a substantial lead slip away on Saturday, but was able to reclaim it late to defeat Portland, 9-8.

After Portland plated five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Maryland’s Jacob Orr saved the day with a clutch game-winning RBI double in the top of the ninth.

After a slow start in Friday night’s game, Maryland made its mark early Saturday. The Terps got on the board often due to Pilots errors, with Maryland’s first seven runs being unearned.

The Terps put up four runs in the top of the first inning. An error by Jack Thompson at third base scored one, and Orr then hit a two-run double. Kevin Keister also took home on a passed ball.

Portland got on the board in the bottom of the third when Brady Bean hit a sacrifice fly, but Maryland would tack on two more runs in the fourth. Eddie Hacopian hit a fly ball to left field that was misplayed by Christian Cooney, allowing Chris Hacopian to score. Then, Sam Hojnar’s bunt single brought another run home.

In the top of the seventh, Portland made it 7-3, plating two runs on groundouts.

Another Terps run came across soon after, but all of Maryland’s momentum was undone in the eighth inning.

Gage Bruce hit an RBI single to drive in Curtis Herbert to open the scoring in the bottom half of the frame. Portland scored again when Keister tried to turn a double play on a chopper, but was unable to get an out. Taking advantage of his team’s newfound life, Tristan Gomes hit a two-run double to make it a one-run game, and the score was tied after Vinny Salvione hit a single to bring in Gomes.

Even so, Maryland reclaimed the lead in the ninth despite being thrown out twice at home.

Logan Koester started on the mound for Maryland and was dominant, giving up just one run in his first six innings of work. After six innings, Koester had only thrown 71 pitches, so he was sent back out for the seventh, but he ran into some trouble there, ultimately charged with three earned runs.

Nate Haberthier allowed the Pilots to tie the game, but after the Terps retook an advantage, Logan Berrier came in to close the game in the ninth and got the job done, earning the save.

Three things to know

1. Swope was ejected. For the first time as Maryland’s head coach, Matt Swope was ejected from Saturday’s game after arguing a check-swing by Hojnar in the top of the ninth. With pitching coach Jimmy Jackson serving as third base coach, Maryland was thrown out at home twice.

2. Wild last two innings. Maryland nearly let a sure win slip away before Orr came through in the ninth.

3. Orr’s big day. After being in and out of the lineup of late, Orr made a statement Saturday with three hits, four RBIs and a walk.