Charlie White
After an uneven month of March, the Terrapins baseball team earned a much-needed win against Rider on Wednesday.
A quality start from right-hander Jake Stinnett gave hope to the back end of a rotation that has been inconsistent at best. An offense that has failed time and time again hit consistently with runners in scoring position and provided key run support in a 6-3 win over the Broncs.
Everything finally clicked for a team that rarely puts together a complete performance. Along with the win came signs of improved confidence, something the Terps lacked during their rough start to conference play, which included four straight series losses.
But the road ahead does not prove any easier for coach John Szefc and his squad, which will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., this weekend to take on No. 1 North Carolina.
The Tar Heels’ dominance this season extends from the mound to the plate. They’re the top pitching squad in the ACC with an ERA of 1.74 and also lead the league in scoring with 8.79 runs per game.
Entering Wednesday’s win, the Terps had lost nine of 15 games after a nine-game winning streak and were overmatched by ACC opponents. The season’s early streak included entirely nonconference wins, and the Terps hope their win over Rider can lead to similar results against North Carolina despite the team’s prestige.
“It was good for guys to get out and feel good about themselves and give us a little positivity,” Szefc said Wednesday. “We’re playing a really good team Friday, but we’ve been in every single game we’ve played for the most part. It’s a matter of getting a good start and just playing good defense.”
Solid starts have been few and far between to start the conference slate. The Terps have yet to put together three quality starts in an ACC series, largely because of inconsistencies with the third starter.
Against a stacked Tar Heels (26-2, 9-2 ACC) lineup featuring four hitters — first baseman Cody Stubbs, outfielder Skye Bolt, middle infielder Landon Lassiter and third basemen Colin Moran — batting better than .350, the Terps’ (16-12, 4-8) pitching will be tested.
“When you get a good start, you have a pretty good chance of winning,” Szefc said. “And when you get a poor start, you usually don’t. That’s just the reality of what baseball is.”
The Terps will also need to continue to refine their situational hitting. They averaged nearly 10 runners left on base in last weekend’s three-game series at N.C. State. While they improved against the Broncs — stranding only seven — Szefc still isn’t satisfied.
“Our offense is going to be average until we’re able to have more quality at-bats with runners in scoring position,” he said. “That’s a focal point that we’re continuing to work on.”
Szefc has often referred to his club as a work in progress. With so many young players, he expected the inconsistent play that has plagued the Terps so far this season.
But with that youth also comes potential. And with confidence, the Terps could surprise the nation’s top-ranked team this weekend.
“We’re just progressing, man,” Szefc said Wednesday. “We’ve got young guys and guys in different positions today to take a look at a few different things. And we’re just going to keep doing that until we find the right mix.”
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