Maryland baseball mercy rules Indiana, 14-4, behind Hastings’ complete game

Photo courtesy of Jason Yellin/Maryland Athletics.

In the Ohio State University airport, Logan Hastings sat down with Maryland baseball (16-19, 3-11 B1G) head coach Matt Swope and told him that he wanted to pitch more meaningful innings. On Saturday afternoon the Terps skipper gave him a chance to prove that he could do it.

Hastings gave him seven innings in a 14-4 complete game against the Indiana Hoosiers (14-20, 6-11 B1G).

Swope said Hastings did not just want to start for himself – he wanted to “bring a spark” to a struggling Maryland team.

“It was all revolved around him wanting to do it for the team,” Swope said. “It wasn’t [him] just wanting to start.”

Hastings’ outing seemed like it might end quickly in the first inning. The Terps’ usual closer quickly gave up three runs on four hits that found tight gaps between the infielders.

But he was not deterred.

“Nobody likes giving up three in the first, but I knew my stuff felt good,” Hastings said. “I knew that they weren’t squaring it up. They weren’t all over me. So I knew eventually those balls are gonna find guys later in the game. It would be really improbable if [they] didn’t.”

The Maryland sophomore was correct. Over the next six innings, Hastings gave up just one run – a solo home run in the third inning. He continued pitching until the Terps offense reached a ten run lead with a solo home run of their own, stopping the game due to mercy rule.

While Hastings was dealing on the mound, Maryland’s offense came to life – Terps batters combined for eight doubles, which led two separate five-run innings. Ty Kaunas particularly saw the ball well, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs.

For Swope, Saturday afternoon was all the proof he needed that Hastings could be the guy in a starting role. 

“Sometimes, if it doesn’t start well, a lot of the starters will tend to maybe want to come out,” Swope said. “But he didn’t do that, and I think that’s a true testament to him and just his ability to battle. And we needed that desperately.”

The most impactful element of Hastings’ game on the Terps rotation, both pitcher and manager agreed, was consecutive innings. And that is one of the things Hastings promised Swope in that Ohio airport.

“I was like, ‘I’m gonna give length, that’s what our team needs,’” Hastings said. “So [today] I was like ‘no matter what, first inning wasn’t good, but whatever happens, I have to give our team some length here.’”

Swope certainly appreciated the lengthy shift, especially after the rough start.

“He wasn’t coming out of that game,” Swope said. “So to go seven, and to get four scoreless frames, that was exactly what we talked about last week.”

Swope did not commit to a new designated closer, saying that the role would be handled by committee for now. The Terps and Hoosiers will have their rubber match at noon Sunday in the Bob.