Maryland Baseball: Terps Drop UCLA Series, Look to Bounce Back in Midweek Slate

Mar 11

After a rollercoaster weekend against UCLA in their first Big Ten series of the season, the Maryland Terrapins now shift focus to their midweek matchups against No. 23 Virginia and Mount St. Mary’s. The Terps (8-7) will first face a tough test on the road against the Cavaliers on Tuesday before returning home to host the Mountaineers on Wednesday.

UCLA Series Recap: The Highs and Lows

Maryland opened its home conference schedule against UCLA with hopes of making an early statement in the Big Ten. However, after three hard-fought games, the Terps came up short, losing the series 2-1 in dramatic fashion.

Game 1 (Friday): Bruins Rally Late to Stun Terps

Maryland held a five-run lead heading into the seventh inning but couldn’t close the door on UCLA. A three-run homer in the ninth inning by Roch Cholowsky put the Bruins ahead for the first time all night. Though Maryland forced extra innings, UCLA erupted for six runs in the 10th to secure a 12-6 win.

Game 2 (Saturday): Maryland’s Offense Explodes for Run-Rule Win

The Terps rebounded in dominant fashion on Saturday, securing a 13-3 victory in just seven innings. A seven-run third inning, highlighted by home runs from Eddie Hacopian, Alex Calarco, and Hollis Porter, propelled Maryland to a commanding lead. Freshman Logan Hastings delivered a solid six-inning start, allowing just three runs on nine hits.

Game 3 (Sunday): One Disastrous Inning Costs Maryland the Series

The series finale saw Maryland’s pitching hold UCLA scoreless for eight innings—but an 11-run second inning proved fatal. Starter Joey McMannis struggled early, surrendering eight runs before being pulled without recording an out in the second. Despite a resilient bullpen effort and consistent offensive pressure, Maryland never recovered, falling 11-5.

Midweek Matchups

Maryland now turns its attention to a crucial midweek slate that could help the Terps regain momentum before a road trip to USF this weekend.

Tuesday: No. 23 Virginia (9-5) – A Ranked Road Test

For the first time since 2017, Maryland will face a ranked opponent in a midweek game when they take on No. 23 Virginia on the road. The Cavaliers enter the matchup after dropping a weekend series to Boston College, slipping from No. 9 to No. 23 in the rankings.

Virginia’s Strengths:

A balanced offense (.312 team batting average), led by Henry Ford (.397) and Eric Becker (.372).
A bullpen featuring dominant arms like Kevin Jaxel (0.84 ERA) and Matt Lanzendorfor (19 strikeouts in 10 IP).
Pitching Matchup: Maryland’s Jake Yeager will likely face Virginia’s Evan Blanco, who has made two short midweek starts this season.

A win over Virginia would not only provide a resume-boosting ranked victory, but also restore some confidence after the UCLA series loss.

Wednesday: Mount St. Mary’s (7-7) – A Chance to Pile on Runs

Maryland will return home Wednesday to face Mount St. Mary’s, a team with a 7.09 team ERA, making this a prime opportunity for the Terps’ offense to take control.

Mountaineers’ Strengths & Weaknesses:
- Strong offensive pieces in Ty Fredo (.407) and Evan Meier (.362).
- Pitching struggles: Maryland should capitalize against a Mountaineers staff that has struggled through much of the season.

Key Storylines for the Week

Maryland’s Bullpen Needs to Step Up

The Terps' relief corps was inconsistent against UCLA, allowing crucial late-game runs on Friday and struggling to stop the damage in Sunday's second inning. Against a potent Virginia lineup, Maryland’s bullpen will need to be much sharper.

Can Maryland’s Offense Stay Hot?

Despite losing the series, the Terps’ offense put up 24 runs across three games against a strong UCLA pitching staff. Maryland ranks 13th in the nation in total runs scored and will need continued production from sluggers Alex Calarco and Chris Hacopian to take down Virginia and overwhelm Mount St. Mary’s.

Midweek Pitching Decisions

With weekend starters typically unavailable for midweek games, Maryland’s Jake Yeager and the bullpen will need to carry the load. How head coach Matt Swope manages his pitching staff in these two games will be pivotal in determining the outcomes.

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