Things were going smoothly for Maryland baseball right-hander Mike Shawaryn in the Terps’ first game of their doubleheader against Illinois on Saturday.
Through 3.2 innings, Shawaryn hadn’t allowed a hit as the Terps held a 2-1 lead. But with two outs in the fourth inning, the junior allowed three runs off of four consecutive hits as the Fighting Illini took a 4-2 lead.
Though Shawaryn didn’t allow another run, he gave up the Terps’ lead. The offense couldn’t work out of the hole as Maryland fell to Illinois, 4-2, at “Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.
After struggling for the majority of the season, Shawaryn bounced back in his previous two starts entering Friday, allowing one run in a combined 17 innings. But Illinois right-hander Cody Sedlock out-pitched Shawaryn on Saturday. He limited the Terps to just three hits, all of which came in the first two innings.
Illinois (24-19, 8-8 Big Ten) got on the board first when catcher Jason Goldstein grounded out to score right fielder Jack Yalowitz in the first inning. But Maryland (24-20, 9-7) tied the contest in the bottom of the frame when left fielder Marty Costes grounded out to score shortstop Kevin Smith.
Sedlock overthrew second baseman Michael Hurwitz in the second as right fielder Anthony Papio rounded home. After the second, though, Sedlock, who entered Friday with a 3.04 ERA, didn’t allow another runner on base.
And behind a double and three straight singles in the fourth frame, Illinois had a 4-2 lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Shawaryn didn’t allow another run before right-hander Hunters Parsons replaced him in the eighth, but the damage had already been done innings earlier.
