Alex Calarco shifted the momentum toward Maryland baseball in the top of the seventh inning against Western Carolina on Friday. The catcher launched a grand slam that broke the 3-3 tie with the Catamounts.

Calarco flipped his bat after recording his fourth consecutive hit to open the game and his second grand slam in only four games. The Terps’ four-run lead was short-lived, however.

Maryland’s bullpen needed three pitchers to exit the frame after Kyle McCoy was pulled following six innings. They surrendered five runs and quickly lost the Terps’ lead.

Coach Matt Swope’s offense had no response in the final two frames and fell to Western Carolina, 8-7, on Friday. Calarco finished the game 4-5 with five RBIs, but the effort was wasted by the Terps’ relievers.

“There’s no reason to panic. We’re four games in,” Swope said. “We could have capitalized in some different situations … Just got to play cleaner baseball.”

The damage began when sophomore reliever Andrew Koshy secured only one out, conceding a two-run home run to Hayden Friese. The Wake Forest transfer gave up two earned runs and a hit in his Terps’ (2-2) debut.

Ryan Van Buren couldn’t stop the damage. The senior allowed two runs, one earned, which granted Western Carolina (2-3) the lead. Senior Andrew Johnson recorded the final out for Maryland with no more damage.

[Trey Ciulla-Hall was ready to play for Maryland baseball. Then the NCAA denied his waiver.]

The Terps’ bullpen arms gave up only four runs in the Swig and Swine College Classic to open the year, with four pitchers tossing scoreless outings. Johnson and Omar Melendez surrendered the only runs. Van Buren threw three scoreless last weekend.

But Friday was a similar game script to many of last year’s contests — the Terps’ offense built a lead that the bullpen evaporated. Starter Kyle McCoy pitched well, but Maryland’s pitching depth struggled and wasted a strong offensive performance.

Calarco started with an RBI single in the first inning — the second score of a two-run frame for the Terps. The senior added a double in the fourth but was stranded on third base. He extended his hitting streak to three hits with a single in the sixth inning.

But none were bigger than his homer in the seventh inning. The catcher has already tied his home run total from last season with four.

Calarco is in his second season with Maryland after transferring from Northwestern. As a senior, he has encouraged his younger Terps’ teammates to relax and trust in their own talent

“[I’ve] been in a lot of ups and downs … I’m trusting my road” Calarco said.

[Chris Hacopian’s grand slam lifts Maryland baseball to season-opening win over UAB, 6-3]

The Terps were knotted at three with the Catamounts for the majority of the middle innings. Maryland trailed Western Carolina after Trent Turner launched a three-run home run in the first.

McCoy held the Catamounts scoreless the following five innings and conceded just three more hits.

It didn’t help that Maryland suffered multiple defensive miscues and errors throughout the game. Shortstop Chris Hacopian and third baseman Eddie Hacopian both had throwing errors.

“We got to be able to pick up the ball and throw out the first base,” Swope said. “We have to play better baseball. It’s not very pretty right now.”

Maryland’s bats managed to gain three baserunners in the eighth and ninth, but couldn’t push a run across. Calarco’s lone put-out was in the ninth inning — a fly out to center field. The catcher couldn’t deliver for a fifth time.

In what was supposed to be an easy stretch, Maryland lost to two opponents who finished with a sub-100 RPI ranking in 2024. It’s a loss the Terps could want back in May.