Maryland baseball splits Saturday’s doubleheader at Rutgers

After Maryland baseball defeated Rutgers on Friday in game one of its three-game weekend series, they played the remaining two games on Saturday due to potential weather issues on Sunday.

In a pitcher’s duel in game one, the Terps went 0-7 with runners in scoring position and lost, 2-1, forcing a game two rubber match, which Maryland won, 6-4.

Maryland has won consecutive Big Ten series as it heads into the bye week.

Maryland loses the pitching duel in game one, 2-1

Joey McMannis got the nod from head coach Matt Swope in the first game of the day. The right-hander started his outing with three consecutive scoreless innings, working out of two jams.

Maryland tallied the first run of the game in the second inning, when Rutgers’ Donovan Zsak walked Elijah Lambros with the bases loaded.

McMannis found himself in trouble in the fourth inning, as Johnny Volpe blasted a two-run single, giving Rutgers the lead. McMannis was subsequently pulled for Evan Smith.

On the afternoon, McMannis gave up six hits, two earned runs and four walks, while striking out four batters, in 3 ⅔ innings. Despite a solid showing, it was an earned loss for the freshman.

Smith had a phenomenal performance out of the pen, notching 4 ⅓ scoreless innings, giving up two hits and walking one batter. He also totaled three strikeouts, worked two 1-2-3 innings and only allowed three total base runners.

Zsak, Sonny Fauci and Joe Mazza were exceptional on the mound for the Scarlet Knights. Combined, they gave up just five hits, one run and five walks. As well, seven Terps struck out in game one.

Despite numerous opportunities, the Terps faltered by stranding eight runners on base. While Rutgers also struggled, leaving 10 runners on base, it was Maryland’s inability to capitalize in crucial moments that proved costly. In the fifth inning, the Terps found themselves with the bases loaded and no outs, but a strikeout, infield fly and groundout in succession dashed their hopes of scoring multiple runs in game one.

Maryland puts up two three-run innings to win game two, 6-4

Logan Koester and the Scarlet Knights’ Jake Marshall got game two started, trading scoreless innings through the first three frames, with the Terps failing to earn a base runner.

Marshall simmered down in the fourth inning, though. He allowed two singles, and then proceeded to throw two passed balls during Brayden Martin’s at-bat, which allowed Eddie and Chris Hacopian to score. Martin finished the at-bat with an RBI single to drive in Sam Hojnar.

On the other side, Tony Santa Maria hit a solo home run, cutting Maryland’s lead to just two in the bottom of the fourth.

Rutgers tied the game up in the fifth inning, as Volpe continued his big day with a two-run double.

But Maryland snatched the lead right back sixth inning, as Sam Portnoy hit Devin Russell with a pitch to force in a run. Then, Elijah Lambros reinstated the three-run lead with a two-run double.

Koester pitched six innings for the first time in six weeks, looking like his early-season self. He gave up three earned runs on seven hits and struck out two batters.

Logan Berrier took the mound in the seventh inning and immediately gave up a run, as Cameron Love scored on a balk. Berrier redeemed himself in the final two innings, though, ending each inning after just three batters to secure the game and series.

Three things to know

1. Stellar pitching. Maryland only used four pitchers in two games on Saturday. McMannis, Smith, Koester and Berrier gave up a combined six runs in 18 innings.

2. Second straight Big Ten series win. After splitting the doubleheader, Maryland earned its second straight Big Ten series win after losing its previous four.

3. Varying offensive performances. Maryland was 0-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base in game one, as the Terps only scored one run. Game two was a different story, though, as the Terps posted two three-run innings.