No. 18 Maryland baseball loses heartbreaker to No. 7 Vanderbilt, 8-7

No. 18 Maryland baseball dropped a heartbreaker to No. 7 Vanderbilt, as fifth-year outfielder RJ Schreck walked it off for the Commodores with a sacrifice fly within the ninth inning.

Maryland entered the underside of the ninth with a 7-6 lead, however a leadoff stroll by Nigel Belgrave put strain on freshman Kyle McCoy, who inherited the tying run on base with no outs. Vanderbilt took benefit with a two-run body, stealing the victory from Maryland, 8-7.

The Terps fell to 4-6 on the season and are losers of 4 of their final 5.

Within the first inning, junior Luke Shliger began the sport off by making the most of a fielding error by sophomore third baseman David Diaz. Shliger stayed aggressive early, stealing second and giving Maryland an early runner in scoring place. Junior shortstop Matt Shaw walked the following at-bat, giving Maryland runners on first and second.

Vanderbilt junior southpaw Hunter Owen struggled discovering the zone early with a wild pitch that superior Shliger and Shaw to second and third. Not lengthy after, sophomore Ian Petrutz knocked in Shliger on a fielder’s alternative to attract first blood.

The underside half of the primary was a nightmare for Maryland senior right-hander Nick Dean. Vanderbilt wasted no time as junior outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. acquired a maintain of the primary pitch of his at-bat, launching a ball simply over the left subject fence to knot the sport up at one.

Dean then walked two straight batters to provide Vanderbilt males on first and second with one out. The Commodores continued to use the strain, as Diaz crushed a laser to left-center subject for an RBI double and a 2-1 Vandy lead.

Freshman designated hitter Chris Maldonado acquired one other run throughout for Vanderbilt when he flew out to middle subject, permitting Schreck to tag up and advance the rating to 3-1. Dean’s struggles continued, as he gave up one other RBI single to junior catcher Jack Bulger — advancing the Commodores result in three — however escaped the inning with out permitting any extra injury.

“I actually assume they’d a great plan towards him. I believe they sat tender early and I believe while you take a look at it lots of the injury that we’re doing on sliders and on off-speed pitches, it’s a great job of making ready for Nick,” stated Maryland head coach Rob Vaughn.

The Commodores stole the momentum and stored it within the second, as Owen proceeded to close Maryland down by hanging out the facet.

Vaughn gave Dean one other likelihood within the second, however he gave up one other solo shot to RJ Austin, who stored his fingers again on a breaking ball and smoked it to left subject to provide Vanderbilt a 5-1 lead. Deanfinished the inning with out giving up one other run and lengthen his outing a bit longer.

Within the prime of the third, Shaw doubled, giving Maryland an opportunity to chip away on the deficit, however Owen continued to settle in by hanging out the following two batters to finish the inning and advancing his strikeout whole to 5.

Dean appeared extra comfy within the backside half of the third, as he recorded his first scoreless inning of the sport, sending Vandy down 1-2-3 with three straight groundouts.

Within the fourth, fifth-year Matt Woods and junior Kevin Keister collected back-to-back singles to provide Maryland runners on first and second with one out. Senior Bobby Zmarzlak drew a stroll the following at-bat, giving sophomore Elijah Lambros an enormous bases loaded alternative. However, on the second pitch of the at-bat, Lambros grounded right into a rally-killing double play.

Shliger started the fifth with a single hoping to swing the momentum to the Terps. Shaw adopted up Shliger’s hit with a single of his personal and reached second on an error by senior left fielder TJ McKenzie. Lorusso then drew a stroll to provide the Terps the bases loaded for the second time. This time, Petrutz scored Shliger on his second fielder’s alternative of the sport, making the rating 5-2.

Sophomore first baseman Eddie Hacopian acquired one other run throughout as he reached on a fielder’s alternative. Subsequent up was junior Kevin Keister, who demolished a ball to lifeless middle for a three-run homer, giving Maryland a 6-5 lead after the Terps’ third, fourth and fifth runs of the inning.

Proper when it appeared like Maryland was going to begin cruising after the five-run inning, Austin annihilated a ball into the higher deck in proper subject, tying the sport at six.

Lorusso began the seventh with a bang, pimping a fastball to left subject for a solo house run to place Maryland again on prime. Hacopian drew a one-out stroll and superior to second on a wild pitch, however acquired just a little too cute along with his lead and was picked off, adopted by a Woods strikeout that ended Maryland’s rally.

Proper-handed flame-thrower Nigel Belgrave got here in reduction for Dean within the sixth and pitched scoreless frames within the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, shutting down Vanderbilt’s offense.

Within the backside half of the eighth, Schreck launched a ball to left middle, and whereas Lambros knocked it right down to hold it within the park, it changed into a triple — placing the tying run on third with one out. Belgrave then struck out Diaz for the second out however walked Maldonado, giving the Commodores runners on the corners. Belgrave stored his cool, forcing a floor out to get out of the jam.

Belgrave got here out to shut the sport within the ninth, however walked the primary batter of the inning. He was then yanked for freshman lefty Kyle McCoy. Junior Calvin Hewett reached on a bunt single after a miscommunication on the defensive set-up, placing the successful run on first with no outs. Bradfield had ice in his veins, as he lined a ball up the center scoring the tying run and advancing the successful run 90 toes away with no outs.

Schreck ended up delivering the ultimate blow along with his walk-off sacrifice fly.

“I instructed our crew after the sport that, that loss is de facto on me to be sincere with you as a result of pretty much as good as Nigel was, there’s no approach I ought to have despatched him again out,” stated Vaughn.

Three issues to know

1. The lengthy ball performed an important position. There have been a mixed 5 house runs in Saturday’s sport. Quite a few house runs have been a standard theme in Maryland’s video games to date this season. A late solo shot by Nick Lorusso appeared prefer it was going to seal the deal for Maryland, however one other bullpen implosion blew it for the Terps.

2. Disastrous innings for every starters stored the sport shut. Dean had a tough first inning, permitting 4 runs and giving Vanderbilt an early 4-1 lead. Fortunately for Maryland, it responded within the fifth, getting 5 runs throughout towards Owen within the body.

3. One other bullpen implosion price Maryland the sport. The Terps entered the underside of the ninth up one, however a leadoff stroll by Belgrave put McCoy in a troublesome spot, permitting Vanderbilt to take the sport. Maryland had comparable bullpen struggles in its final collection at Ole Miss, when it misplaced two winnable video games.