Big innings push Maryland baseball past Navy 15-2

Photo by Kevin Snyder/Maryland Terrapins. Photo courtesy of Maryland baseball.

Maryland baseball’s post-home run “Boom!” cheer was a little louder than usual in the fourth inning on Wednesday. 

The dugout celebration came after Nate Hawton-Henley launched a grand slam over the left field fence, giving the Terps a lead they would never relinquish. The blast was Hawton-Henley’s first collegiate homer.

Maryland’s offense followed by scoring in all but one inning, allowing it to cruise past Navy 15-2 at Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis. The win marks the Terps’ second win in as many days.

Hawton-Henley blew the game wide open in the fourth inning with a grand slam. The freshman has primarily served as a utility infielder and pulled a second-pitch fastball down the left field line with the bases loaded and the game tied at one.

Though he has only appeared in 16 games, Hawton-Henley has thrived at the plate in his first collegiate season. The Virginia native has notched 12 hits in 34 at-bats this season and established himself as a dependable contact hitter who can produce at the bottom third of the lineup.

Maryland (15-18, 2-10 Big Ten) exited the fourth inning with a 6-1 lead and continued to add on runs, scoring in three of the final four frames. The Terps’ most productive inning came in the eighth inning.

The Terps scored seven runs on three hits, including three bases-loaded walks. It was the most runs Navy (18-13, 5-7 Patriot League) had given up in a single inning this season. 

The walks embodied Maryland’s patient approach at the plate as the Terps took nine walks. A third of them came from Brayden Martin. The junior made history on Wednesday, reaching base for a 33rd consecutive game. 

The streak sets a program record, passing Chicago White Sox first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. with 32 games between 2014 and 2015.

After four starts this season, Jake Yeager earned his first win. The sophomore gave up just one run on four hits across five innings, his best runs per inning ratio since Maryland’s early-season victory against UNC Wilmington on Feb 14.

Both Yeager and Maryland’s bullpen found success in generating swings and misses. Andrew Koshy and Brayden Ryan consistently found the strike zone against Navy hitters, combining for three more strikeouts after Yeager’s five-strikeout outing. Ryan in particular found success with his curveball, getting Navy hitters to swing at pitches as the bottom fell out.

The strong pitching and two separate innings in which Maryland’s offense tallied at least five runs allowed the Terps to end the game after just eight frames.

The Terps will return to College Park on Friday for a three-game series against Indiana.