Matt Swope didn’t speak about Maryland’s dominance in the Big Ten. He refused to answer a question about the Terps’ streak of series wins that dated back to 2021 — the skipper was superstitious it may end if he did.
“I’m not talking about that,” Swope quipped Thursday. “I will never ever bring up a streak.”
Swope may say he doesn’t care about the streak, but Maryland extended its conference superiority in its season opening Big Ten series and claimed a 5-4 victory in Sunday’s rubber match over Michigan State. It is the Terps’ 23rd straight series win over a conference opponent.
It wasn’t easy to claim. Maryland needed a three-run eighth inning to tie the game after trailing late. The contest went into extra innings for the second time this series, and Brayden Martin came through in the 10th inning in as many times.
After delivering the game-winning RBIs Friday, Martin had two runners on base ahead of him. The freshman saw a fastball and swung, and his one-handed jab lifted the ball into the left field.
He knew it was gone when the Michigan State outfielder turned his back. Kevin Keister sprinted home from second base, and the dugout emptied to chase Martin for the second time this weekend.
[Maryland baseball walks off Michigan State in extra innings, 7-6, in Big Ten opener]
Martin stood on the infield dirt, raising his fists in the air before flipping his red batting helmet back into the air. His teammates huddled around and doused him with water this time around.
“I feel like I have a lot of confidence,” Martin said. “My teammates always help me and bring me up when something goes wrong. I feel like they believe in me, so I believe in myself.”
Maryland entered the bottom of the six trailing by two following a two-run inning by the Spartans in the top of the frame.
Joey McMannis threw a season-high six innings and held the Spartans to just two earned runs.
But Maryland’s bats had been silent to that point, recording just three hits. That changed in the eighth.
A double from Sam Hojnar and Keister walk put the Terps in scoring position. Alex Calarco drilled a single to right center to send Hojnar home. Keister scored the following at-bat on a wild pitch to make it a one-run game.
The bases were loaded after Jordan Crosland drew another walk and Elijah Lambros was hit by a pitch.
[Late rally pushes Maryland baseball to series finale win over Portland, 7-6]
Martin walked up to the plate to a similar sight of the loaded bases. He came through for the first time of the afternoon, taking four straight balls to tie the game.
“We have a lot of trust in him,” Swope said.
Logan Berrier retired all six batters he faced between the ninth and 10th inning to keep the Spartans scoreless. It was a bounce-back performance for the reliever after surrendering runs in the same innings Friday night — this time keeping the Terps even.
“Just his mentality of being able to be a bulldog … that’s why we brought some of these older guys in here was to have that mentality,” Swope said. “He’s just been lights out.”
Since the streak began, Maryland claimed its first two Big Ten regular season championships and its first conference tournament title last season, have been to three consecutive NCAA regionals and hosted one for the first time in program history.
The coach stresses that each game — midweeks against local nonconference opponents to Big Ten rivals — is equally important for the Terps. To Swope, each pitch has the same level of pressure. Each matchup needs the same amount of energy. Every moment requires the same focus.
Maryland sustained that focus throughout the weekend. The Terps came back in the 10th inning Friday night and bounced back Sunday following a loss Saturday to keep their stellar streak alive.
