When Maryland baseball left fielder Madison Nickens singled up the middle to open the eighth inning against No. 5 seed Iowa, he clenched his fist as he sprinted toward first base and looked back at the Terps dugout, screaming, “Let’s go.” The Terps responded to his passion by loading the bases with one out in an 8-8 contest.
However, right fielder Marty Costes struck out and second baseman Nick Dunn popped out to end the threat. The Terps’ late struggles with runners in scoring position made the difference in a 9-8 loss to the Hawkeyes in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.
After No. 4 seed Maryland failed to execute with a runner on third and less than two outs, the Hawkeyes came through in a similar situation. Third baseman Matt Hoeg’s go-ahead sacrifice fly with runners on first and third and one out in the top of the ninth secured Iowa’s victory.
Now, Maryland will face Purdue on Thursday night in an elimination contest.
Maryland’s performance against the Hawkeyes, who it didn’t face during the regular season, mirrored the up-and-down nature of its season. Coach John Szefc’s squad started the year 1-5 but climbed to the top of the Big Ten standings with a midseason hot streak before finishing with four consecutive series losses.
After the Terps fell behind the Hawkeyes early on, they tied the game late through a home run from right fielder Marty Costes. Ultimately, though, they fell short.
For the first time this year, Maryland ace Brian Shaffer faltered on the mound. The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year allowed four runs in the first, putting the offense in an early hole.
In the third, Iowa gained a 6-1 lead following Hoeg’s RBI single and center fielder Ben Norman’s sacrifice fly. That gave Hawkeyes right-hander Nick Gallagher a quick five-run advantage to work with.
But in Shaffer’s worst start this season, the offense provided him with the most run support he’s received.
Maryland’s rally started in the bottom of the third, when second baseman Nick Dunn hit a three-run home run to deep right field. Then, in the fourth, catcher Justin Morris hit a game-tying two-run home run. And moments later, first baseman Brandon Gum’s bloop RBI single gave the Terps their first lead.
The advantage was short lived, though. Iowa right fielder Robert Neustrom’s fifth-inning homer tied the game at seven, and left fielder Chris Whelan’s solo home run off the scoreboard in the sixth made it an 8-7 contest.
With Hawkeyes runners on first and second and two outs in the eighth, Terps right-hander Ryan Hill kept the game tied by striking out first baseman Jake Adams, the Big Ten Player of the Year..
It seemed the momentum from Hill’s strikeout and Nickens’ leadoff single would be enough to push the Terps to victory. Instead, Iowa’s ability to capitalize late forced them to play a second time Thursday with a chance to remain in the conference tournament on the line.
