Maryland baseball looks to next season after missing playoffs

Photo courtesy of Brieanna Andrews/Maryland Terrapins

Penn State’s dugout rushed onto the field at Bob Turle Smith Stadium on Friday after pitcher Ben DeMell struck out the final batter in a 19-7 blowout win. The scene was a reverse of last year’s result as Maryland celebrated clinching the top seed in the Big Ten on Penn State’s field. 

But this year, Maryland (34-22, 10-14 Big Ten) could only watch as the Nittany Lions swept the senior day doubleheader and the series, ensuring the defending Big Ten champions would not reach the playoffs. The series was also the first time Maryland had been swept by an opponent since 2020 and was the first time the Terps failed to reach the Big Ten playoffs since 2018.

“You hate for the seniors to go out like that,” coach Matt Swope said after the game. “You go one weekend thinking that you’re still in the mix…and then [to] not even to make the Big Ten tournament is a devastating blow.”

The Terps could’ve avoided missing the Big Ten playoffs. They had a chance to snap its series losing streak in early April against a Northwestern team that had been swept in its prior two Big Ten series.

Instead, the Terps dropped the first two games of the series and would’ve been swept had it not been for an incredible game-saving catch by Elijah Lambros in extra innings. The series loss proved costly for the Terps as it forced them into must-win games against much tougher opponents like Nebraska and Illinois.

Even with the series loss, Maryland found its footing again at the end of the season. Heading into the Penn State series, Maryland had won nine of its last 12 games, including two crucial series wins against Illinois and Rutgers.

The path was simple. A series sweep clinched the seventh seed, and a series win most likely secured a playoff spot.

The Terps dropped their first game against Penn State but got help from the rest of the Big Ten. Minnesota and Michigan State lost their series openers, allowing Maryland to still control its playoff destiny.

The chances rested on a senior day doubleheader sweep as Saturday’s game got moved to Friday because of inclement weather.

Despite a stellar performance from Sam Hojnar — who hit two home runs and drove in three RBIs — Maryland fell in extra innings in the first game, seemingly ending its playoff chances.

Although not officially eliminated, the Terps dropped their final game of the doubleheader in blowout fashion and could only watch as Penn State celebrated a spot in the Big Ten playoffs.

“[It’s] going to leave a sour taste in our mouth and something that we’ll definitely utilize towards next season to get better,” Swope said after the game.

Despite Maryland’s shortcomings in reaching the Big Ten tournament, the team still accomplished a lot. The Terps won more road games than anyone else in the nation and finished with the sixth-most wins in school history. 

The Terps also saw an astonishing level of change in the offseason. They entered the season with a new head coach and just 14 returning players from last year’s squad. Yet the Terps still managed to finish inside the top 50 in RPI — good for third best in the Big Ten.

Looking ahead to next year

Maryland honored ten seniors last weekend, including two starters and key bullpen arms, Kenny Lippman and Logan Berrier.

Lippman started the season as a starting pitcher but got moved to the bullpen after struggling in midseason as a starter, and Berrier was the Terps’ closer.

As a result, the Maryland pitching staff will undergo significant changes for the second straight season.

But the Terps will likely get James Gladden and Kyle McCoy back as both missed the entire season due to injury. McCoy appeared 15 times during his 2023 freshman season and finished with a 5.91 ERA.

They will also lean on their young hitting core next season, as they started three freshmen nearly the entire season.

The most prominent of the group is Chris Hacopian. He started in 55 of the team’s 56 games and finished second in batting average, home runs and on-base percentage. Hacopian had 15 home runs on the season, which left him tied for second all-time in home runs as a freshman in Maryland history.

“He’s one of the best freshmen I’ve ever seen,” Swope said on Hacopian in May. “If he keeps on this trajectory…his pro future is bright.”

The only thing stopping Hacopian from dominating at Maryland would be if his older brother — Eddie Hacopian — gets drafted this year. Chris decommited from Wake Forest in high school to come to Maryland largely so he could play with his older brother. If Eddie is drafted, his younger brother could look to the transfer portal.

The Terps’ young core will also feature Brayden Martin, who started in 51 games. Martin batted in the lead-off position at various points this season, including the final series against Penn State.

Martin featured good bat-to-ball skills all season. He ended fourth on the team in hits and consistently found his way on base, finishing third with a .387 on-base percentage. 

Even though the Terps missed the Big Ten playoffs in Swope’s first year as head coach, they also missed the playoffs when Rob Vaughn was a first-year head coach in 2018. The team is still a young group, and that young core will use this year as a learning experience to get back to the playoffs next year.

“I think they got a full-fledged crash course on the season,” Swope said about the younger players. “I think it’s going to [do] leaps and bounds for their career for the program.”