There was a stretch in the first inning of Sunday’s rubber match between Maryland and South Florida where the Terps threw 17 straight balls. 

Four Bulls crossed home plate with the bases loaded in that span, part of a five-run frame in which six different batters drew walks.

Maryland struggled to find the strike zone on Sunday against South Florida. Despite the Terps’ best offensive output of the weekend, they fell 15-8  to the Bulls after walking a season-high 16 batters. Maryland (10-10, 1-2 Big Ten) still hasn’t won a weekend series this season.

Senior Omar Melendez lasted just ⅔ of an inning in his start, walking four batters and giving up two hits. Three runners scored while he was on the mound.

Melendez struggled with control, throwing 10 consecutive balls before senior Andrew Johnson replaced him. Johnson continued the trend, issuing seven straight balls and contributing to the third and fourth bases-loaded walks of the inning. All five runs were charged to Melendez.

Sixth-year Logan Koester relieved Johnson after he walked two batters to start the second inning. Koester only gave up two free passes over two innings but allowed two runs, one of them earned. A throwing error in the fourth let another run to score.

[Maryland baseball falls to South Florida, 4-3, forcing rubber match in series finale]

Sophomore Andrew Koshy followed with one of his best outings, holding the Bulls (9-8) to just one hit across three innings while striking out three. But South Florida’s offense kept the pressure on in the seventh, when redshirt sophomore Brayden Ryan took the mound. 

The Merrimack transfer surrendered a leadoff home run, followed by an RBI single and an RBI double to extend Maryland’s deficit to five.

Maryland’s eight runs scored were the most against South Florida. Redshirt sophomore Hollis Porter broke a five-game drought without a home run with a three-run shot in the first. Seven different players recorded hits with 10 total for the team, also the best for the weekend. 

But Maryland’s pitching struggles proved too much to overcome once again, with the loss marking the sixth game this season in which the opponent scored double-digit runs. The pitching staff exited the weekend with a 5.79 ERA. 

New roles across the team

Wednesday’s game against Mount St. Mary’s previewed changes that showed up in Tampa. Senior Eddie Hacopian started at first base after spending the first 16 games at third, while previous starter Joey McMannis shifted from a starting role to closer.

Swope said the changes wouldn’t extend beyond the midweek game — Hacopian’s shift was to create opportunities for others, while McMannis’ relief outing provided live-game reps after four short starts. Maryland’s skipper either kept his weekend plans untold or was still finalizing them.

Hacopian started at second base the entire weekend against South Florida, while sophomore Brayden Martin, the usual second baseman, played at third. After recording the team’s second-worst fielding percentage at third, Hacopian had a flawless 1.000 fielding percentage against the Bulls.

[Maryland baseball’s freshmen arms provide hope amid a poor overall pitching performance]

McMannis tossed exclusively in a relief role against South Florida — tossing two outings. On Sunday, the sophomore entered in the eighth and surrendered four runs, three hits and walked two. 

The right-hander threw a scoreless outing in Friday’s 5-2 win as the closer, earning his first collegiate save. He also closed with a scoreless outing in Wednesday’s win over the Mountaineers. 

Unless McMannis replaces freshman Jake Yeager as the starter next Tuesday, the sophomore has seemingly found his spot in the bullpen to fill a much needed closer role after Logan Berrier graduated.

The Terps’ Sunday starter spot is not as cemented. Melendez has a 8.82 ERA in his three starts this season. Sophomore Evan Smith, who hasn’t pitched since his start in Maryland’s opening weekend, could return around the end of March or beginning of April.

Maryland could turn to Koester — who started every weekend last season and led the team innings with a 6.00 ERA. But Koester has tossed three innings in two outings since returning from injury, including a two-inning spurt on Sunday.