Maryland baseball blows ninth-inning lead to Michigan in 8-7 defeat
· Yahoo Sports
Maryland baseball hadn’t led against Michigan in the entire weekend series following an extra-inning walk off loss and a run-rule defeat.
In one fell swoop, second baseman David Mendez changed that, crushing a two-run blast clear over the right-field fence to give the Terps their first lead all weekend. But after managing to hold onto the lead for an inning and a half, the Terps let it slip right from their hands.
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Late freebies from Maryland’s pitching staff allowed Michigan to regain the lead in the top of the ninth inning. The Wolverines went on to win the game, 8-7, and sweep the series.
Mendez banked the first base hit of the day in the bottom of the second, bouncing a double off the center field wall. However, he became the first of nine Terps left on base after consecutive strikeouts shut down the frame scoreless.
In the third inning, Wolverine Colby Turner crushed his third home run of the weekend for the first run of the day, knocking a two-run blast that beat Maryland center fielder Jordan Crosland to the wall. Following a full count walk, an RBI triple from Brayden Jefferis brought another runner home.
Mendez took a fielder’s choice opportunity to throw home from second base, but catcher Devin Russell couldn’t catch and tag in time, allowing another run to score.
Outfielder Nate Hawton-Henley put Maryland on the board in the bottom of the fourth. The freshman smashed a single to right field for his first RBI of the weekend.
Once the Wolverines retook the batter’s box, they began rolling again. Mendez managed to catch Wolverine Brayden Jefferis out at second base, but that allowed his teammate Evan Haeger to score from third.
Pitcher Logan Hastings closed his fourth start of the season after the fifth inning. He walked back to the dugout after tossing two strikeouts and issuing three walks across the 24 batters he faced.
Crosland cut Michigan’s lead in half with his 15th career home run. The center fielder hit a two-run bomb to center field for Maryland’s second straight scoring inning.
As the sixth inning rolled around, it quickly became three straight scoring frames for the Terps.
Maryland shortstop Ty Kaunas reached first base on a throwing error, then got all the way to third on the back of Hawton-Henley’s single and a sacrifice bunt from catcher Devin Russell.
Then, Michigan pitcher Michael Quedens committed a costly balk, sending Kaunas home for the Terps’ fourth tally. Just one pitch later, Brayden Martin landed a successful bunt for another RBI, tying the game at five runs a piece.
Mendez’s two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh handed Maryland its first lead since April 28, setting it up for success.
Andrew Koshy became Maryland’s first bullpen call of the day, much to the Terps’ avail. The sophomore posted three strikeouts across the first eight batters he faced, throwing consecutive scoreless innings.
“He was pounding the zone, working ahead, getting them off balance,” head coach Matt Swope said. “It was really, really good.”
An impressive defensive performance from Maryland combined with Koshy’s pitching locked down the Wolverines in the back half of the game. Across 3.2 innings, Koshy allowed just one hit.
The star of the outfield staff was right fielder Bud Coombs, who caught six fly outs during the game to limit Wolverine runs. In the top of the fourth, he snatched a fly ball off the top of the right field wall, robbing Michigan of extra runs.
“He took the home run away,” Swope said. “That was a dynamic play.”
Five innings later, Coombs dazzled again. The true freshman lost his hat while launching himself into the air to catch a fast line drive for the first out in the top of the ninth.
Just shy of the payoff play, Kaunas appeared to have caught Wolverine Carson Luna stealing second. After a lengthy umpire review, the call was overturned, keeping the game alive.
Koshy began to falter, walking Haeger and eventually allowing a RBI single, whittling Maryland’s lead to one run before he got hooked.
Ryan Bailey had an out to go when he took the mound, but as runners surrounded him on the corners, his window to keep the lead only thinned. Wolverine Joonsung Park smashed a blistering line drive to right field, and Coombs wasn’t able to secure it. The two-run double put Michigan back in the lead.
The Terps had three outs to engineer another comeback. After Coombs struck out swinging, Costello advanced to first on a walk.
Aden Hill came in to pinch-run for Costello and quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch. Mendez joined him on the bases after four straight balls from Michigan reliever Cade Montgomery.
Montgomery then settled in, forcing Paul Jones II into a simple fly out and striking out Kaunas to strand two Terps on base and hand Maryland another weekend defeat.
Three things to know
1. Narrow defeat. Sunday’s game was Maryland’s closest regulation loss since March 27 against USC. The Terps have lost in nine-inning games by at least two runs in every loss since.
2. Lopsided offense. Three players in Maryland’s batting order didn’t produce a base hit all day. On the other hand, Martin, Mendez and Hawton-Henley all had multi-hit days, accounting for four of Maryland’s six RBIs.
3. Great struggles against the Great Lakes State. The loss Sunday resigned the Terps to a 1-5 record against teams from the state of Michigan. Maryland hasn’t won a series against Michigan or Michigan State since 2024.