Logan Koester backpedaled and watched as Nick Mitchell’s home run cleared the right field wall. The Terps’ starter met with catcher Devin Russell near home plate, beginning his long walk to the pitcher’s mound as Mitchell finished his trip around the bases.

The three-run shot in the first inning set the stage for Koester’s disappointing outing in the 14-2 Terps’ loss.

Maryland (21-10, 3-5 Big Ten) has now lost two straight conference series for the first time since 2019.

The loss, the fourth in the Terps’ last five, likely eliminates any chance at hosting a regional in College Park. They lost just five conference games in 2022 when they hosted — a mark they’ve already hit after Saturday’s home defeat.

Koester pitched just 4⅓ innings and gave up six runs on seven hits and three walks. He began the season strong and sported a 2.79 ERA through five starts. Three starts later, it’s ballooned to 5.35.

“Logan’s been really good most of the season,” Coach Matt Swope said. “There’s not gonna be any changes … There won’t be any rash decisions.”

Indiana (18-14, 3-2 Big Ten) added two more runs off Koester in the third inning off a double from first baseman Joey Brenczewski and a single from third baseman Josh Payne.

[Maryland baseball’s pitching struggles continue in 15-4 loss to Indiana]

Swope pulled Koester in favor of Andrew Johnson in the fifth inning with runners at the corners and only one out.

Koester threw 96 pitches, the third-most in a start this season. The pitcher tied his season-high in hits allowed as the Hoosiers peppered his pitches across the field. Three of the hits, including Mitchell’s home run, occurred on two-strike counts.

Maryland’s starter in the opening game of the series, Kenny Lippmann, similarly struggled on Friday. He gave up six runs in as many innings as the Terps lost by 11.

The Terps’ offense offered no run support for the struggling pitching staff with just one hit until the eighth inning. It struggled on Friday as well, going hitless in five innings.

Indiana’s Connor Foley mowed down Maryland’s batters with 10 strikeouts in six shutout innings. He gave up just one hit and three walks. The top five batters in the Terps’ starting lineup went 2-for-17 with six strikeouts. Sam Hojnar, who hit a walkoff single Wednesday, has gone 1-8 in the past two games.

[Maryland baseball aims to learn from first Big Ten series loss since 2021]

“I’m gonna give that guy credit,” Swope said of Foley. “He was the best I’ve seen here in two years.”

Maryland scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Maryland’s relievers continued their struggles. Johnson and Alex Walsh combined to allow seven Hoosier runs in the sixth inning. The pair struggled to locate their pitches, walking six 2⅔ innings. Meade Johnson gave up one more in the eighth.

A year ago, the Terps went to Bloomington and dominated the Hoosiers. Maryland outscored Indiana 43-12 in the three-game sweep, scoring at least 13 runs in each game.

A year later, Indiana is on the verge of pulling off the same feat in College Park.

The Terps won 23 straight Big Ten series before falling last weekend to Michigan. They’ve fallen again this weekend, a sign that their brief run atop the conference could be over.

“There’s no reason to panic,” Swope said.