Maryland baseball third baseman Andrew Bechtold and his father, Scott, developed a routine over the summer. Every night when Bechtold was at his Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, home this summer, his dad would hit ground balls at his son.

Bechtold had played shortstop his entire life before coming to College Park, but after an injury set him back, the redshirt freshman knew he needed to practice in his free time to start at third base this season.

Though he struggled adapting to the new position to start the year, Bechtold has transitioned into a reliable third baseman for the Terps.

“We took so many ground balls over there; I’m adapted to it,” Bechtold said. “I worked a lot on the footwork, the preparation, making a longer throw. By the time it became fall, it was second nature.”

The Texas Rangers drafted Bechtold in the 37th round of the MLB draft the summer before he entered college. Bechtold was in a competition with fellow freshman Kevin Smith to start at shortstop when he joined the Terps.

Smith, who was a freshman All-American last season, won the shortstop job while Bechtold started at first base. But Bechtold played in just eight games before he tore a ligament in his left thumb, leading him to redshirt.

As Smith locked up the job at shortstop and Kevin Biondic cemented his role at first while Bechtold was injured, Bechtold knew he would need to learn a new position in the infield to earn playing time.

The Milwaukee Brewers drafted the Terps’ former starting third baseman, Jose Cuas, in the 11th round of the MLB draft last offseason, and Bechtold saw an opening.

Coach John Szefc said Bechtold is one of the most versatile players on the roster, and he wanted him to be in the lineup. But Bechtold knew the transition to third wasn’t going to be easy.

This season, Bechtold has committed the most errors on the team (eight). Szefc said the Terps defense has struggled this year, resulting in an inconsistent start, and Bechtold was the center of those difficulties at times.

“Our defense is crucial to our success,” Szefc said. “Our infield defense in particular, because they just get more chances. Without consistent infield defense behind a guy like [Friday starter right-hander Taylor] Bloom who gets a lot of ground balls, you’re not going to have success.”

Freshman A.J. Lee has started over Bechtold at third base in six games this season. During Maryland’s weekend series at Iowa from March 25 to 27, it seemed as though Lee might gain a bigger role, as he started two of the three contests.

But Szefc valued Bechtold’s experience over Lee’s, and he stuck with the redshirt freshman through his struggles. It’s paid off.

In his past four games, Bechtold has assisted on a total of 14 outs while not committing an error. That defense has allowed the Terps to stay competitive in games, as they won all four of those contests by three runs or fewer.

“That’s huge,” Bloom said. “Obviously, he struggled there at the beginning of the season. He’s getting a lot of reps in practice. He’s really starting to get better. We have a really solid infield now.”

Bechtold said he’s focused in practice on setting his feet for whichever way a ball might be hit toward him or how hard the ball is hit at him.

Szefc said Bechtold didn’t get down enough in his stance earlier this season, so balls hit low bounced underneath him. By improving on those mechanics every day in practice, though, Bechtold has shown progress.

“Some guys come a little sooner than others,” Szefc said. “Baseball is a game of patience, and it’s a game of overcoming failure. He’s had his share of it. He’s coming along.”

Third basemen need strong arms to throw runners out at first. And Bechtold fits that role, as Szefc said the 6-foot, 185-pound third baseman probably has the strongest arm on the team.

It’s just another skill that has helped Bechtold adjust to his new role.

“I’m used to feeling the ball, and I’m used to being a big defensive guy,” Bechtold said. “That’s showing a lot more recently as opposed to the beginning of the year.”