After Northwestern completed a hit-and-run as part of its three-run second inning, Maryland baseball failed to execute the maneuver in the bottom half of the frame. Two innings later, another attempt came up short.

The Terps have often witnessed opponents easily manufacture runs while their own efforts prove futile, and Friday in their Big Ten opener, they were subjected to the same treatment.

Coach Rob Vaughn attempted to create havoc on the base paths, but two runners were caught stealing and Northwestern starter Quinn Lavelle kept Terps batters off balance all game.

Throughout its current 3-8 slide, Maryland has struggled to drum up the offense necessary to overtake its opposition after falling behind early. That trend continued in its 4-0 loss to Northwestern.

“When we’re not just wearing it out and banging stuff in the gaps, sometimes you try to create some stuff,” Vaughn said. “Sometimes it’s overzealous a little bit and you end up getting guys swinging at bad pitches.”

Maryland starter Taylor Bloom entered Friday’s contest with Northwestern having allowed just 11 walks in 42 1/3 innings this season. He hadn’t allowed more than three walks in any of his six starts this season, even when he struggled last week against Stetson, surrendering 10 hits and five earned runs in the loss.

But Bloom (2-5, 3.93 ERA) walked four batters and hit another in the first three innings against the Wildcats (8-13, 1-3 Big Ten). A leadoff free pass in the second inning helped set up a three-run frame, as a fielder’s choice, sacrifice fly and RBI single did the damage.

Lavelle (3-2, 2.10 ERA) struck out a career-high eight in his complete-game shutout, finding success when he altered his delivery to a submarine style. Facing designated hitter Barrett Smith in the third, he dropped his usual 3/4 delivery to the altered motion and spun a breaking ball in for a strike. He also featured the different windup at times later in the game.

“It’s definitely different, a guy who can throw three different pitches for strikes, mix up his arm slots,” shortstop AJ Lee said. “It’s definitely a different look.”

In the bottom half of the second, Lee reached on a single, but center fielder Zach Jancarski flied out to center field, sending Lee scampering back to first mid-steal. Lee was caught trying to steal second later in the frame.

Second baseman Nick Dunn was thrown out in the fourth when first baseman Kevin Biondic couldn’t reach a high fastball on another hit-and-run attempt. Jancarski lined into a double play in the fifth, canceling out another baserunner.

“Sometimes they just don’t fall your way,” Lee said. “The biggest thing for us is just try to stay in our approach and stay in the aggressive style of baseball we like to play.”

Northwestern added an insurance run in the ninth, establishing a 4-0 lead that was surplus to requirements against a Maryland (12-14, 0-1) lineup that couldn’t push a runner into scoring position in the matchup.

As the Terps’ lineup languishes well below last season’s standards, there is also a marked difference from the way Maryland frequently came from behind in contests last campaign. The four-run deficit Friday appeared much greater than it might have in 2017.

“We used to laugh about it last year, just like, ‘Let’s spot them six and go start the game,'” Vaughn said. “We’d come back and win a lot of games doing that. This team hasn’t quite done that yet.”