The Terrapins baseball team’s bats went quiet Saturday.
After averaging eight runs per game in the eight contests entering Saturday, coach John Szefc’s squad was shut out for the first time all season. So despite right-hander Taylor Bloom tossing a complete game, the offense couldn’t support him.
The Terps offense bounced back Sunday, though. So even when Bryant put together a four-run rally in the ninth inning, the Terps recorded 10 hits to notch an 8-6 victory over the Bulldogs. The Terps won the series, 2-1, at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.
After the Terps (7-8) allowed an average of 14.5 runs in two midweek contests this week, the Terps weekend rotation surrendered 11 runs to the Bulldogs (9-4) all weekend. Right-hander Brian Shaffer continued Bloom’s momentum Sunday. The sophomore allowed just one earned run in seven innings to earn his first win of the season.
But the bullpen, after struggling in the midweek games, almost let the Terps’ lead get away. Right-hander Ryan Selmer allowed two runs in 0.2 innings before left-hander Tayler Stiles, who threw two scoreless innings Friday, allowed two runs (one earned) in the ninth inning without recording an out.
With the tying run on first base, right-hander Mike Rescigno replaced Stiles and recorded three outs to seal the victory.
After not scoring for 12 straight innings dating back to Friday, Szefc’s squad got on the board in the first inning Sunday on left fielder Marty Costes’ RBI single that drove in right fielder Madison Nickens.
Bryant tied the contest in the third inning, but the Terps retaliated in the bottom of the frame. Second baseman Nick Dunn, who went 3-for-5, hit an RBI double to score Nickens, and Costes hit a sacrifice fly to advance Dunn home.
The Bulldogs scored another run in the fifth inning, and again, the Terps responded in the bottom of the inning. This time, though, they blew the game open.
After they scored two runs, the Terps loaded the bases and catcher Justin Morris cleared them with a double to push the lead to 8-2.
Saturday, the Terps stranded 10 runners on base and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. But the Terps got back on track Sunday to hit 5-for-13 (.385) with runners in scoring position and win their third consecutive weekend series.
