Despite a second straight solid offensive performance, the Terrapins baseball team was unable to overcome a poor pitching performance and lost 8-5 at No. 23 Florida in a shortened series finale Sunday in Gainesville, Fla.
Right-hander Jared Price, making his first collegiate start, gave up five earned runs was chased from the game in the second inning. While the sophomore allowed only one hit, he had control problems and walked five batters.
The Terps got off to a hot start in the top of the first, scoring multiple runs in the first inning for the second game in a row. Gators starter Karsten Whitson lasted just two innings and gave up three runs.
The Gators bullpen, however, was a different story. Three pitchers combined to allow two earned runs in the final six innings.
After a four-run second inning, the Gators were held scoreless until the fifth, when they exploded for another high-scoring half-inning, tallying three runs. Right-hander Bobby Ruse, who pitched 2.2 innings, allowed three runs (two earned) off three hits in that inning.
For the second times this series, a Terps error led to a Gators run. In the fifth, third baseman Krysthian Leal was unable to hold on to catcher Kevin Martir’s throw on a Gators steal attempt, and Gators shortstop Richie Martin trotted home.
Martir capped off the series with another solid performance at the plate. He went 2-for-5, scoring and driving in a run. He was 5-for-13 with three RBIs and two runs in the seris.
The game was called after the top of the eighth, so the Terps could catch their flight back to College Park. The Terps’ home opener is Tuesday at 4 p.m. against Rider.
