Maryland baseball drops seventh straight Big Ten game in 10-0 loss to Rutgers

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

Heading into the fifth inning, Maryland baseball was in a promising spot.

Maryland had yielded just one run, and another pitching duel seemed likely. But the Terps quickly unraveled.

Maryland surrendered nine runs over the final four innings, resulting in a 10-0 loss to Rutgers through eight innings – in which the Terps only managed one hit – at Bainton Field and Maryland’s seventh consecutive Big Ten loss.

Logan Hastings got the nod for the Terps (23-28, 6-20 Big Ten) on Saturday. The sophomore was stellar through the first three innings, holding Rutgers without a hit. Hastings did most of his damage on breaking pitches, inducing four strikeouts and a plethora of weak contact.

But in the fifth inning, Rutgers (24-26, 11-15 Big Ten) got to the Terps’ right-hander. A double by Rutgers lead-off hitter Chase Krewson put a runner in scoring position for just the third time all game. Two batters later, catcher Matt Chatelle executed a squeeze play to give Rutgers a 2-0 lead.

But the Scarlet Knights continued to add to their lead. Despite Hastings’ five strikeouts, he showcased inconsistent control, walking six batters and hitting another. The free passes hurt Hastings in the fifth inning, as a triple by sophomore infielder Yomar Carreras scored a pair of runners that reached via a hit by pitch and a walk.

On the mound for Rutgers was senior Vincent Borghese. The righthander was prolific against the Terps, shutting down Maryland’s offense for 7.2 innings. Borghese held a no-hitter through four full innings before Maryland’s Paul Jones II fended off a strikeout with a single up the middle of the field in the fifth. Jones’ knock proved to be the only hit surrendered by Borghese.

Saturday’s contest was by far Borghese’s best start this season. Heading into the game, the Connecticut native was averaging under four innings per appearance. Most of Borghese’s work against the Terps was done at the plate. The Terps’ offense had thrived all season by taking pitchers, ranking first in the Big Ten in walks.

But Borghese showcased solid command, tossing 69 of his 114 pitches for strikes. The righthander frequently hurled first-pitch strikes, allowing him to control the count and tie a season-best eight strikeouts.

With Saturday’s loss, the Terps have struggled to knock out the Scarlet Knights’ starter for two consecutive games. Redshirt sophomore Zack Konstantinovsky displayed similar success in the series opener, throwing 6.2 innings against Maryland and allowing just two runs.

With Saturday’s loss, Maryland is guaranteed to finish the season under .500, and its chances of making the Big Ten playoffs are extremely slim. The Scarlet Knights currently occupy the final slot, and Maryland now needs to win out in conference play to secure a chance at the last spot.

Maryland has one more game remaining against Rutgers and will look to avoid a series sweep on Sunday.