The Terps are chasing an unwanted spot in the record books.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the Terrapin baseball team has never lost more than nine straight games.

With Sunday’s 9-1 loss to No. 13 Miami, the Terrapin baseball team joined the 1995 squad as losers of nine straight games.

But if the Terps lose to Towson today, they’ll have an even more inglorious distinction: co-owners of the program’s worst losing streak.

The team played its first season in 1893 but only started recording game-by-game results in 1924. Since then, it has endured a number of eight-game losing streaks and two nine-game losing streaks, including this season’s.

But aside from a 10-game skid in 1962, it has never gotten worse than that.

“I know you want to focus on the negative stuff and talk about the streak,” coach Erik Bakich said. “But there is really no reason to dwell on it. We aren’t going to learn anything new from looking back on the losses. We still have games left, and we are just focusing on winning those and getting better in each game we played.”

Today’s opponent — the state rival Tigers — should only add to the team’s motivation to avoid the dubious record.

The teams have split the season series thus far. The Terps won the teams’ first meeting, 4-2, in early March. Terps’ starter Blair Delean allowed just two runs in 6.1 innings, earning the win while striking out a career-high eight hitters. The Tigers returned the favor April 21 with a 3-1 win, holding the Terps scoreless for the game’s first seven frames and withstanding a late-inning rally.

The good news for Bakich and the Terps is that after frustrating midweek losses last week to George Mason and James Madison, the Terps have been playing better baseball. Although they were swept by the Hurricanes, the Terps were within striking distance throughout the first two games and until the final three innings of the series finale.

The team pitched well and played solid defense all weekend, but once again, it was the team’s inability to score runs that hampered its success. Due to injuries and an overall lack of depth, Bakich has been forced to tinker with his lineups often, hoping to ride hot bats.

This weekend, for instance, Bakich started seldom-used first baseman Gary Schneider at designated hitter for Friday night’s series opener. The freshman responded with two hits and an RBI.

Bakich rewarded Schneider’s efforts by playing him at first base in Saturday’s close loss. Hitting near the bottom of the order, Schneider once again produced, collecting a team-high three hits and his first career home run.

After delivering two more hits while hitting cleanup Sunday, Bakich said Schneider’s weekend performance likely earned him additional playing time on a team sorely needing somebody to step up at the plate.

“He has been working and playing hard all season, and so we thought he deserved a chance,” Bakich said. “He gave us exactly what we were looking for. He competed, played aggressively and took good swings. He is definitely gonna continue to get his chances in these final games.”

lemaire@umdbk.com