Kyle McCoy has been Maryland baseball’s most reliable arm to start the season. The redshirt sophomore was the only pitcher with multiple wins entering Friday’s series opener against Washington, the only starter with a sub-2.00 ERA and the team’s strikeout leader.

The Terps were 3-2 in games he pitched, with no losses credited to him.

Friday’s start against the Huskies showed what happens when Maryland’s ace isn’t at his best.

The Huskies scored six runs off McCoy, five of them earned, in his 4 ⅔ inning start. Meanwhile, the Terps’ offense continued a recent slump and couldn’t climb out of the deficit, falling 12-4 to Washington on the road. The loss was Maryland’s (11-11, 1-3 Big Ten) third in four games.

“We just got to score more … just got to be a little bit tougher,” coach Matt Swope said. “… Something’s got to change for us to just be a little bit more consistent.”

McCoy’s six total runs and five earned were the most he’s conceded this season, who entered with a 1.72 ERA but left with a 2.75 mark. The Huskies began scoring early when center fielder Malakhi Knight popped an RBI single into center field in the first. McCoy allowed two hits and walked one in the frame.

Washington (10-13, 3-1 Big Ten) tacked on an unearned run in the second inning after McCoy threw a wild pitch. Senior catcher Alex Calarco tried to throw out a runner at third, but his errant throw sailed past the bag to allow another runner to score.

[Maryland baseball drops series finale to South Florida, 15-8]

It was one of three errors for Maryland as its defensive struggles continued. Sophomore Chris Hacopian recorded the other two.

“We’re bad on defense. That’s as simple as that,” Swope said. “We’re just the definition of inconsistent right now.”

In a three-hit fourth inning, where McCoy hit his first batter of the season, right fielder Braeden Terry knocked an RBI single and third baseman Blake Wilson drilled an RBI double to give the Huskies a two-run lead.

The advantage grew to four runs in the fifth after a Knight single and a double by designated hitter Trevor Kole. McCoy was pulled after Kole’s hit with one out remaining in the frame.

Right-handers Logan Koester and Ryan Van Buren combined to allow six more runs following McCoy’s start.

Even when McCoy pitched gems earlier this season, the Terps managed to find ways to lose. Maryland led 7-3 in the seventh against Western Carolina on Feb. 21 after McCoy surrendered three unearned runs in a six-inning start. The Terps bullpen then allowed five runs in the bottom of the seventh and didn’t lead again.

When the left-hander exited with Maryland leading 5-1 against UCLA in a 6 ⅓ inning start on March 7, 11 runs scored with him off the mound as Maryland fell 12-6 in ten innings.

“Kyle, wasn’t his sharpest night but still just really competed,” Swope said.

Lingering offensive inconsistencies

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

Maryland’s offense averaged over 10 runs per game through its first 14 contests. That number has dipped to less than seven over the last eight contests.

Swope said postgame the team met ahead of Tuesday’s game against Georgetown and discussed miscues at the plate. The Terps then turned a 14-7 win over the Hoyas — featuring three home runs — but Friday’s series opener displayed that irregularity from the bats.

Friday’s series opener displayed that irregularity from the bats.

Maryland put four runners on base in the first inning, capitalizing with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to jump out to an early two-run lead. The Terps looked poised for more with the bases loaded and no outs — but the two runs were the lone they mustered.

“We’ve been in a lot of situations where we haven’t buried teams,” Swope said. “It’s a little bit of everything. It’s mentality, it’s approach, it’s toughness.”

Swope’s offense registered just one base runner over the next three innings. Left fielder Jacob Orr added an RBI double and Calarco added a solo home run in the eighth, his 11th of the year.

The Terps finished the game 3-16 with runners on base, and 2-7 with runners in scoring position.

There was no late inning comeback magic for Maryland, partially due to the fact that the Terps trailed 12-4 heading into the ninth, but also because they tallied only two base runners in the final three frames.

Maryland is in danger of dropping its fourth series this season. It needs a better effort from its bats on Saturday and Sunday to avoid that.

“It’s not going to change unless we change it,” Swope said. “[We’re] saying the same things we’ve been saying a lot this season.”