After working on his changeup this summer with the Gaithersburg Giants of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League, right-handed pitcher Taylor Bloom entered the season prepared to bolster the Terrapins baseball team pitching staff.
Equipped with a fastball, breaking ball and his improved changeup, Bloom looked to help the Terps secure a second-straight win over Rhode Island. And in his first home start of the season, Bloom consistently kept the Rams batters off balance.
After striking out right fielder Mike Foley, the first batter of the game, the sophomore pitcher continued to befuddle the opposing hitters. He finished with nine strikeouts in seven innings, both career highs.
Despite Bloom’s strong outing, the Terps offense couldn’t give their pitcher much run support. Rams left-hander Tyler Wilson struck out 11 Terps and limited them to four hits in the Terps’ 2-1 loss.
Through five games this season, the Terps (2-3) have scored just one run in four of them.
A day after the Terps shut out Rhode Island (1-4), the Rams got on the board early Saturday. After an error from shortstop Kevin Smith put a Rams runner on second, the next line drive got under the glove of center fielder Madison Nickens, giving the Rams a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Two innings after errors provided the Rams the lead, the Terps took advantage of Rhode Island’s miscues. After second baseman Nick Dunn reached second on an errant throw, the freshman came home when Foley lost Smith’s popup in the sun.
The decisive run for the Rams came in the fourth inning with runners on the corners. Rhode Island shortstop Matt O’Neil laid down a bunt to Bloom, but the Terps pitcher only had a play at first base.
Late in the game, the Terps nearly took the lead. With two outs in the seventh inning, Smith launched a deep fly ball near the right-field foul pole, sending his teammates pouring out of the dugout and the crowd jumping out of their seats. After a few moments of confusion, the umpires deemed Smith’s home run foul, enraging coach John Szefc.
The shortstop struck out on the next pitch, and the Terps wouldn’t register a hit for the rest of the day.
