The Terps have lost twice to the Hoyas this season.
After its disappointing 21-5 loss to Nebraska on Sunday, Maryland baseball needed to hit reset. The Terps had totaled just five hits and only scored in one inning; the offense needed to find its groove to give Maryland a chance to stay afloat with May approaching.
And on Tuesday against Georgetown, Maryland’s offense battled back, tallying 11 hits. However, the Terps’ bats took too long to warm up — by the time Maryland started scoring, they could not overcome the deficit. Overwhelmed by early runs, Maryland fell to Georgetown 8-11 on Tuesday evening at Capital One Field in Tysons, Virginia.
A quiet offensive start for the Terps left them trailing 4-0 after one frame. Georgetown’s Kavi Caster led off with a solo home run. Jeremy Sheffield and Owen Carapellotti added singles before Connor Price launched a three-run homer off Maryland starter Brayden Ryan, capping off a four-run inning.
Maryland responded in the top of the second inning. Chris Hacopian doubled down the left field line and advanced to third base on a throwing error. This set up Hollis Porter, who delivered a two-run homer to left-center field to cut the deficit in half.
But the Hoyas were relentless. In the third inning, Jeremy Sheffield doubled and scored on another Carapellotti single. After a hit-by-pitch and a bunt single, Georgetown added another run on a fielder’s choice from Dylan Larkins. Jaden Sheffield followed with a sacrifice fly, and by the end of the frame, Georgetown had extended its lead to 7-2.
The Terps tacked on another run in the third inning when Paul Jones II doubled and later scored on a groundout from Jacob Orr, cutting the Hoyas’ lead to 7-3.
After the early offensive flurry, both teams settled in. Maryland’s bullpen kept the Hoyas in check through the middle innings. Logan Hastings struck out four batters in 2.1 innings of relief, allowing two hits and no runs. Georgetown tacked on one insurance run in the sixth inning, capitalizing on a wild pitch from Andrew Johnson, but the Terps kept themselves in the game.
In the seventh inning, Maryland had a chance to break through. The Terps loaded the bases after singles from Chris Hacopian and Aden Hill and a walk from Elijah Lambros, but Jones II struck out looking to end the inning. To make matters worse, Jaden Sheffield launched a solo home run off Maryland reliever Devin Milberg in the bottom of the inning, pushing the lead to six.
The Terps finally broke through in the eighth inning. After two singles and a fielder’s choice, Chris Hacopian set up Porter, who launched a three-run homer to right-center field.
As soon as the Terps gained momentum, though, Georgetown struck back. Kavi Caster hit a solo home run to right, followed by a walk and an RBI double by Connor Price, pushing the Hoyas’ lead to 11-6.
The Terps kept fighting in the ninth inning, earning runs off a single and a fielder’s choice, but the Georgetown advantage ended up being insurmountable. The loss drops Maryland to 20-26, with a weekend Big Ten matchup against Penn State up next.
Three things to know
1. Georgetown jumped ahead early. The Hoyas put up four runs in the first inning. The early hole proved costly for the Terps, who spent the rest of the game playing catch-up.
2. Porter powers the offense. Porter continued his hot streak at the plate, notching two runs and five RBIs. His three-run shot in the eighth inning brought Maryland within two, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Georgetown’s consistent offensive output.
3. Rare midweek stumble. Apart from Tuesday’s result, Maryland has generally thrived in midweek matchups this season. Before the Georgetown loss, the Terps had won five of their last seven midweek contests.