The Maryland baseball team was in control of its game against Minnesota on Friday night through six innings.
But that’s when things went south.
With a 3-0 lead in the sixth, right-hander Taylor Bloom, who had allowed just three hits all game, gave up two runs in the frame and was forced out of the contest. From there, the Golden Gophers blew the contest open against the Terps bullpen.
Minnesota scored seven runs in the eighth as it defeated Maryland, 9-5, to snap its four-game winning streak.
Last week, Bloom didn’t make the Terps rely on their bullpen, throwing a scoreless complete game in just 90 pitches. He continued that momentum early Friday, but he collapsed in the sixth against the Golden Gophers, who entered Friday with the best batting average in the Big Ten (.329).
The Terps bullpen, which showed improvement last weekend against Ohio State, had struggled early this season, as just one reliever has below a 4.00 ERA. Those issues reemerged Friday.
Coach John Szefc rotated between four relievers in the eighth as Minnesota (20-10, 5-1) saw 12 batters come to the plate.
Early on, though, the Terps (18-16, 4-3) had the lead.
After a bunt from center fielder Anthony Papio, left fielder Marty Costes sprinted home. Catcher Austin Athmann couldn’t control the ball as it was thrown to him, and Costes reached safely.
And the Terps added insurance while their starter was dealing.
Right fielder Madison Nickens hit his sixth home run of the season in the fifth. And in the following frame, Maryland chased right-hander Matt Fiedler out of the game after third baseman Andrew Bechtold singled in first baseman Kevin Biondic.
But after Bloom faltered, the Terps had no answer in their bullpen as the bottom of the eighth inning lasted more than a half hour.
Maryland, who hit walk-off singles in two games last weekend, plated two runs in the ninth. But it wasn’t enough.
