Carson Bayne didn’t even try to track Chris Hacopain’s hit.
The ball flew over the Charlotte outfielder’s head and the left field wall as Hacopian, Maryland baseball’s star freshman, trotted around the base for his second home run of the day. The third baseman’s three-run blast extended Maryland’s lead into double-digits in the ninth inning of the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader.
The Terps weren’t done yet.
Alex Calarco rocketed another over the center field wall to extend the lead. Maryland hit five home runs in the 13-2 win in Charlotte. The Terps won game two of the doubleheader, 3-2, to secure a series victory. They haven’t lost a weekend set through the first four weeks of the season.
“Just incredible, just amazing, the way the team came together,” Elijah Lambros said.
Maryland started the series with a 9-5 loss on Friday. Coach Matt Swope wanted to see his team use Saturday’s day off to move past the defeat. The Terps followed his command.
Maryland opened the day by building a six-run lead in the first three innings. The Terps never lost the lead behind performances on the mound by Logan Koester and Nate Haberthier.
[Pitching struggles doom Maryland baseball in 9-5 loss to Charlotte]
Chris Hacopian began Maryland’s scoring with a solo home run in the second inning. Lambros added a two-run shot in the following inning. Eddie Hacopian knocked his first home run of the season with a two-run blast in the eighth inning.
Calarco and Chris Hacopian are tied for the team lead with four home runs each.
“It was big for Chris to get us going a little bit,” Swope said.
The offensive output Sunday came after Friday’s lackluster performance: the Terps recorded a season-low five hits. That, paired with a season-worst 13 walked batters, doomed Swope’s squad.
Maryland’s pitching performed better on Sunday as Koester started and churned through the 49ers. The right-hander surrendered just two runs in six innings while striking out a season-high five batters.
The redshirt senior has solidified himself as the Terps No. 2 starter since transferring from George Washington the past off-season. Koester boasts a 2.45 earned run average, the best among Maryland’s starters.
Nate Haberthier closed out the win with three scoreless innings. He’s become a full-time reliever this year and cut his ERA by more than five runs to 3.00.
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The second leg of Sunday’s double-header was only seven innings long and was more difficult for Maryland.
The Terps entered the sixth inning trailing by a run after the 49ers brought home two in the fourth inning.
Kevin Keister tied the game with an RBI double into deep right field. Elijah Lambros roped a single up the middle to drive Keister home and reclaim the Terps’ lead.
“They’re just used to winning and they came through right there,” Swope said.
Logan Berrier closed the game with four scoreless innings, striking out five. Berrier has only allowed three earned runs in 15⅔ innings this season.
“To see him stay calm and just continue to attack the zone, I think it says a lot about him,” Swope said.
Maryland (12-4) now has the best overall record in the Big Ten. The Terps have five more nonconference games before Michigan State comes to College Park on March 22 for the Big Ten opener.
