TYSONS, Va. — Elijah Lambros stepped to the dish with the bases loaded and a strong Maryland contingent sitting near the Terps’ dugout. The centerfielder sent the traveling fans into a frenzy.
He launched Maryland’s second grand slam of the season and trotted around the diamond having stamped the Terps’ early seven-run lead over Georgetown in the third inning.
Lambros’ blast was one of Maryland’s four home runs in an 11-4 blowout win. It was the Terps’ second win over the Hoyas this season.
Maryland (19-6) has yet to lose a Tuesday midweek this season. They faced a tough challenger in Georgetown (16-8), which entered the matchup fresh off a weekend sweep of Ohio State and entered the game ranked No. 63 in RPI. They were no match for the Terps.
“That was vintage Terps right there,” coach Matt Swope said.
Lambros’ home run continues his strong start to the year. He is batting .284 and leads the team with 24 RBIs.
[Brayden Martin’s walk-off pushes Maryland baseball to 5-4 win over Michigan State]
Devin Russell added the Terps’ first home run of the game in the second inning. The catcher lofted a line drive over the left centerfield wall for his third home run of the season.
Swope lauded Russell in the fall.
“Devin had one of the more unbelievable fall’s any of us have ever seen,” he said.
But the sophomore has struggled early, entering Tuesday’s game batting just .176. He flashed against the Hoyas, finishing 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs.
Maryland picked up two more long balls in the seventh.
“I’m hoping that he can use this as a confidence booster to move forward and hit his stride a little bit,” Swope said.
Kevin Keister hit his third of the season into center field to extend Maryland’s lead to seven. The next batter, Sam Hojnar, crushed his fifth of the year. It was the first time this season the Terps hit consecutive home runs.
Hojnar also brought home the Terps’ first run of the game in the opening frame with a two-run double.
[Maryland baseball walks off Michigan State in extra innings, 7-6, in Big Ten opener]
The Hoyas cycled through seven pitchers while Maryland scored in four frames.
Ryan Van Buren limited Georgetown to just three runs in 4 ⅔ innings. Nate Haberthier and Omar Melendez combined for the final 3 ⅓ frames and gave up just one run. Logan Ott closed the game in the ninth.
Van Buren and Melendez have been Swope’s primary midweek duo. Melendez and Van Buren have ERAs of 4.19 and 4.02, respectively.
Melendez made his lone start this season against VCU on Feb. 28, a Wednesday midweek. He allowed just two earned runs across four innings. The Puerto Rican native compiled a 12-0 record at Alabama State last year and could compete for a starter spot next year.
“[Melendez] knows exactly who he is,” Swope said, “he’s gonna attack, he’s got good stuff, he’s been a starter.”
Ott, in just his second appearance of the year, allowed just one hit while securing the final three outs. He clinched an offensive showcase that sent the Terps into a weekend road series with Michigan on a high note.
