Right-hander Taylor Bloom wasn’t even supposed to start Friday in the Terrapins baseball team’s game against Ohio State.
But Thursday, coach John Szefc announced that right-hander Mike Shawaryn, the Terps’ ace the past two seasons, would start Sunday against the Buckeyes after holding the worst ERA of the Terps’ weekend rotation. So Bloom, the usual Saturday starter, got his chance to take the mound as the Terps’ ace.
He took advantage, throwing his third complete game of the season in the Terps’ 3-0 win over the Buckeyes at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.
Of Bloom’s 90 pitches, 64 of them were thrown for strikes. Terps pitchers have now thrown three complete games in under 100 pitches. The other two came from right-hander Brian Shaffer, who’s will start the second game of the doubleheader.
Ohio State left-hander Tanner Tully allowed just three hits in eight innings. But he struggled to begin the game, and the Terps (16-15, 2-2) took advantage.
In the first, designated hitter Nick Cieri singled in center fielder Madison Nickens. Moments later, Tully threw a passed ball that allowed second baseman Nick Dunn to score.
But no player for either team got on base again until Bloom hit a batter with a pitch in the sixth. And in the next at bat, shortstop Craig Nennig singled to eliminate Bloom’s no-hitter.
Bloom escaped the jam, though, and the Terps added insurance in the bottom of the frame. Left fielder Marty Costes smacked Tully’s pitch over the center field wall for his seventh home run of the season. It was his fourth home run in past five games.
And Bloom kept the Buckeyes off the board. After hardly showing emotion all game, he pumped his fist when he struck out left fielder Ronnie Dawson to finish off his impressive showing.
Ohio State (19-9-1, 2-2) entered Friday with the second most runs (191) and the most home runs (34) in the Big Ten. But Bloom didn’t let the Buckeyes gain any offensive momentum.
The scouts who usually filled the bleachers behind home plate on Friday games were gone without Shawaryn on the hill. But Bloom, who started just five games last season, performed like the pitcher this team had hoped Shawaryn would be so far this year to lead the Terps to a victory.
