Maryland baseball drops series vs. Illinois, split midweek games ahead of Oregon clash

After a grueling stretch that included a five-game skid and a rough weekend in Champaign, Maryland baseball hoped that momentum from a busy midweek slate would spark a turnaround as it hosts No. 15 Oregon in a pivotal Big Ten series this weekend.

Illinois Series Recap: Missed Chances and Disheartening Defeat

Maryland’s trip to Champaign was marked by missed opportunities, defensive struggles, and a fourth Big Ten series loss. The weekend began with a rain delay and ended with a sweep, extending the Terps’ winless conference streak since March 30 and dropping them to then-14-18 overall and 3-9 in Big Ten play.

In game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, Maryland fell 7-4 after leaving multiple bases-loaded chances on the field. Despite a triple from Jacob Orr and an RBI single from Elijah Lambros, early wild pitches and defensive errors gave Illinois the edge. In the nightcap, the Terps were buried early – freshman Logan Hastings recorded just one out while surrendering five runs, three on an inside-the-park home run after a defensive misplay. Illinois dominated in a 15-3 run-rule rout, and though Eddie Hacopian tallied his 200th career hit, Maryland was outclassed in every facet of the game.

The sweep was finalized Sunday in an 11-0 shutout loss – the Terps’ second straight run-rule defeat and second shutout of the season. Maryland never held a lead the entire weekend and was outscored 33-7 over three games. The pitching staff posted an 11.28 ERA while the offense batted just 2-for-8 with runners on and 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position on Sunday alone. Defensive miscues and ineffective pitching plagued them again, with freshman Jake Yeager allowing five first-inning runs and the bullpen unable to contain the Illini’s attack.

Midweek Struggles Continue Against Georgetown

Hoping for a reset back at home, Maryland added a hastily scheduled Tuesday matchup against Georgetown. But the woes continued.

After both teams exchanged offensive fireworks early – including a 411-foot three-run homer from Hollis Porter – the Terps’ bats went cold while the Hoyas took control late. Graduate reliever Jack Wren surrendered a crushing seventh-inning grand slam to Georgetown’s Jeremy Sheffield, flipping a tight 6-5 game into a 10-5 deficit.

The Terps rallied late, bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but a strikeout and popout ended the comeback attempt in an 11-7 defeat. Maryland fell to .500 in midweek contests and saw its losing streak extend to five.

“We just have had a lot of those moments not go our way this season,” Swope said.

Terps Break the Slide with Strong Showing at Delaware

Maryland finally got back in the win column on Wednesday, riding the bats of Liam Willson and Elijah Lambros and a sharp start from Brayden Ryan to a 10-2 win over Delaware.

Ryan, who entered the day with an ERA north of 10, tossed four innings of one-run ball and struck out five, stifling Blue Hens hitters in key moments. Andrew Koshy and Ryan Van Buren added five strong innings out of the bullpen to seal a much-needed team win.

Offensively, Willson delivered three RBIs, while Lambros’ triple-turned-little-league-home-run gave Maryland a 4-1 cushion in the fourth inning. The Terps capitalized on Delaware’s defensive miscues in the later innings and tacked on six insurance runs between the eighth and ninth to pull away.

The win moved Maryland to 15-19 overall and halted a downward slide heading into a critical home series.

Oregon Preview: Top-15 Test at “The Bob”

This weekend, the Terps welcome Big Ten newcomer and national powerhouse No. 15 Oregon (22-9, 10-5) for a three-game set at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.

Oregon, fresh off a Super Regional appearance in last year’s NCAA tournament, has once again built a strong resume. The Ducks boast one of the top home run hitters in college baseball in outfielder Mason Neville, who’s mashed 15 long balls while hitting .325. First baseman Jacob Walsh has added eight homers of his own and leads the team with a .349 average and 33 RBIs.

On the mound, Oregon ace Grayson Grisnell has been nearly untouchable since late February, allowing no more than two earned runs in any of his last five starts. He’ll duel Maryland lefty Kyle McCoy in Friday’s opener. The Ducks' bullpen, however, has been shakier of late, offering the Terps a potential opening in late-game scenarios.

After snapping their five-game skid, the Terps will be looking to keep their offense firing and prove they can hang with one of the nation’s best.

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