The Terps have just two weekend series remaining for a postseason push.
With firm Big Ten postseason hopes, Maryland baseball travels to Minnesota this weekend for a crucial three-game series..
The Terps and Golden Gophers are currently tied for 15th place in the Big Ten standings, and both teams need a series win to keep postseason hopes alive.
The first pitch on Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Siebert Field, while Saturday’s begins at 4 p.m. and Sunday’s at 1 p.m. All games will air on Big Ten Plus.
Minnesota Golden Gophers (22-24, 8-16 Big Ten)
2024 record: 25-23, 11-13 Big Ten
Head coach Ty McDevitt is in his first season at the helm at Minnesota. He is only the fourth head coach since 1948, taking over for John Anderson, who coached the Golden Gophers from 1982-2024.
Minnesota is seeing similar success to last season after three straight 30-loss seasons from 2021 to 2023. McDevitt has led them out of this rut with his resurgence of the pitching staff in 2024, where the Golden Gophers ranked first in the Big Ten in the fewest earned runs and third-best in ERA under his coaching.
Minnesota has taken a step back this season and ranks 10th in the conference with a 5.58 ERA, but it will look to bounce back after dropping its last two games against Nebraska.
Hitters to watch
Parker Knoll, senior outfielder, No. 9 — The Lawrence University transfer has been the only .300 hitter for the Golden Gophers this season. He leads the team with a .310 average in 31 games in his first season in Division I.
Drew Berkland, junior outfielder, No. 15 — Berkland has played in all 46 games this season. His batting average has dropped from .325 last year to .283 this season, but he makes up for it with power. He is tied for the team lead with 12 homers and has a team-high 48 RBIs.
Weber Neels, junior catcher, No. 22 — After appearing in all 48 games as a sophomore, Neels’ production dipped in 2025. His average is down to .262 compared to .317 last season, but he has increased his home run total from four to 12 and is third on the team with 32 RBIs.
Pitchers to watch
Joe Sperry, junior right-hander, No. 33 — Sperry has started the last three Friday games after being a bullpen arm early in the season. He has a 4-1 record and has pitched to a 4.63 ERA in 46 innings in his first Division I season.
Kyle Remington, sophomore right-hander, No. 20 — Remington has been the most consistent starter for Minnesota this season after coming out of the bullpen in 2024. He has made 12 starts, improving his ERA from 5.74 to 4.58 in a team-high 57 innings, but has a 1-6 record.
Noah Rooney, redshirt junior left-hander, No. 46 — Rooney has provided the Golden Gophers with a steady arm out of the bullpen after missing all of last season with an elbow injury. In his 18 appearances, he leads the team with a 2.95 ERA in 42.2 innings pitched and a 4-1 record.
Strength
Bullpen depth. Minnesota has four arms in its bullpen that it has reliably gone to this season with much success, averaging a 3.43 ERA.
Weakness
Consistent hitting. Minnesota does not have a .300 hitter among qualified batters meeting the minimum requirement of two plate appearances per game and 75% of games played, with Knoll as the lone .300 hitter in 30 or more games.
Three things to watch
1. Fighting for their lives. Both teams must win the series and possibly sweep to stay alive for the 12-team Big Ten postseason.
2. Can the Terps ride their momentum? Maryland is coming off its first series victory this season against Penn State last weekend, and needs to build on that in its final stretch.
3. The offense needs to step up again. With all of the uncertainty in Maryland’s pitching staff, the Terps’ leading bats will need to keep their production to have a chance to win.