It took the Terps two extra innings to secure the victory.
Saturday’s extra-inning matchup between Maryland and Penn State felt like it would never end, but an unlikely hero drove in Maryland’s go-ahead home run in the 11th inning.
Sophomore lead-off hitter Brayden Martin is not known for his power — he had just two career home runs entering the game — but his second long ball of the season gave the Terps the lead in the 11th inning.
Sophomore Andrew Koshy put runners on first and second with one out, but retired the last two batters he faced to seal the Terps’ first series win of the season, 12-11.
“We wouldn’t win a series any other way,” head coach Matt Swope said. “I don’t think it was gonna be easy the way the season’s been going, but just got to give the kids credit. That’s what perseverance is.”
Like many games this season, Maryland baseball led most of the game with a chance to win its first series, but Bryce Molinaro’s two-run homer left the teams knotted at seven after seven innings.
This was the beginning of a wild ending, with multiple lead changes and clutch hits from both teams. Penn State added two runs in the eighth inning to take the lead, but Maryland responded.
Chris Hacopian kept the game alive with an RBI single, while his older brother Eddie’s fourth RBI of the day tied it. Andrew Johnson then shut down the Nittany Lions’ offense to send the game to extra frames.
Hollis Porter looked to be the hero for Maryland with a two-run home run, but Jack Porter’s two-run shot tied it again for Penn State, sending the game into the 11th inning.
Martin’s home run was the difference in the 11th, as the Terps held on defensively to seal the win.
“[I] kind of blacked out,” Martin said. “Running around, just happy to do that for my guys. We fought that whole game, so [a] big swing for sure.”
The Terps had 22 hits on the day, led by the Hacopian brothers and Jacob Orr. Chris Hacopian delivered a program record six hits, all on singles. Eddie Hacopian led the team with four RBIs, while Orr delivered his second straight three-hit game to add to a stellar senior season.
“My pops always taught me to stay greedy,” Chris Hacopian said. “Just because you have three or four hits, you should want that sixth hit … I gotta keep pushing through for the guys.”
Joey McMannis’ ninth start for Maryland was an up-and-down day. The sophomore right-hander gave up two runs before recording an out in the bottom of the first inning, but he then allowed just one hit for 2.2 innings. After surrendering three more runs in the fourth inning, McMannis ended the day with seven hits allowed, three walks and five earned runs.
Junior Logan Olson made the start for Penn State and kept his season trend going. He hadn’t pitched more than four innings and 75 total pitches entering Saturday, and only made it through three innings against Maryland. Olson allowed six runs on seven hits and two walks, and did not record a strikeout.
Both teams opened the game the way they wanted, putting two runs on the board in the first inning. Orr delivered a two-RBI triple in the top half to give Maryland a 2-0 lead; a wild pitch and an infield hit in the bottom half got Penn State back level.
Eddie Hacopian delivered another two-RBI triple for the Terps in the third inning, while Alex Calarco drove him in to extend the lead to three. Hacopian delivered again in the fourth inning with his third RBI with a single to make the score 6-2.
The Nittany Lions responded with a two-out rally, as McMannis struggled to get the final out in the fourth inning. Junior catcher Nat Voss started Penn State’s three-run spurt with a homer, before two walks and two singles got the Nittany Lions within one.
After advancing on a throwing error, Orr scored to extend Maryland’s lead after an Aden Hill single.
Reliever Ryan Van Buren started hot, retiring the first three Penn State batters he saw, but faced trouble in the sixth inning. While he ultimately escaped with runners on second and third base, Van Buren still allowed a two-run homer to Molinaro, who tied the game at 7-7.
After failing to take advantage of a bases-loaded situation on offense, head coach Matt Swope brought in freshman Cristofer Melendez for another late-game opportunity. But the Terps failed again, allowing two runs on three hits and recording just one out — and Penn State took its first lead of the series.
Johnson inherited runners on first and second base, but he escaped the eighth inning with the deficit still at two.
That deficit proved to be slight enough for Maryland to overcome. The Terps caught a break with a defensive error from Penn State, and Parker Corbin singled in his pinch-hit opportunity to put runners on first and second base with one out. The Hacopian brothers’ RBI singles tied it, while Johnson pitched out of a jam in the ninth inning to extend the game.
Maryland hit two homers and knocked in three runs in extra innings, which ultimately sealed the win over rival Penn State.
“We got seven more games. We know we have to win a lot of those,” Chris Hacopian said. “We’re happy with those last two wins, but right now, every day is its own day.”
Three things to know
1. The Terps snap the streak. For the first time this season, Maryland won a three-game weekend series. Prior to this weekend, it had been a paltry 0-9.
2. Contributions all around. Every Terp batter recorded a hit Saturday, and six players recorded multi-hit games. Chris Hacopian led the team with six hits in his seven at-bats.
3. Hacopian brothers shine again. Chris and Eddie Hacopian combined for 10 hits on the day to lead the Terps to victory.