Maryland baseball uses late rally to defeat Michigan, 11-9

Maryland baseball blew a five-run to Michigan. It entered the ninth inning with a two-run deficit.

The Terps rallied in the frame. Brayden Martin notched an RBI single with one out, and Eddie Hacopian, Sam Hojnar and Kevin Keister drove home a combined four runs with two outs to push them ahead by three entering the bottom of the ninth.

“When I was walking up, I was kinda salivating. I was licking my lips, I was so ready,” Hacopian said. “I live for those moments. There’s nothing better than that, and to get the job done for my team, it’s really something special.”

Maryland’s bullpen held on to secure the final three outs. The Terps rallied, defeating the Wolverines in the series opener on Friday in Ann Arbor, 11-9.

Kenny Lippman seemed on track to produce another outing similar to his start against Michigan State. Lippman struggled with command in the opening inning and fell behind early in counts in the opening inning but seemed to settle into the game, making quick work of the Wolverines in the next two innings.

But a disastrous fourth inning prevented Lippman from going any farther. 

Michigan’s offense broke through against Lippman in grand fashion, exploding for five runs to tie the game as Maryland’s early offensive output was canceled out. A pair of hits from Dylan Stanton and Mack Timbrook trimmed the deficit to three, then pinch-hitter Will Rogers blasted a three-run home run over the left field fence.

Rogers was the last batter Lippman faced before being relieved with one out in the fourth frame. The Wolverines’ offense went silent for a pair of innings against the Terps’ bullpen.

“We don’t have all these comeback wins without [the pitchers] holding the line,” coach Matt Swope said. “I think we were able to pick up some of the pitching staff since they’ve been kinda carrying the weight all year, so it was nice to see the offense do that.”

The lineup then struck in the seventh to push in front. A sacrifice fly and back-to-back two out-doubles from Stanton and Cole Caruso put Michigan ahead 7-6 and gave the team its first lead of the game.

The lineup grew Michigan’s lead to 8-6 entering the ninth inning. But after their pitching collapsed, the Wolverines’ bats couldn’t score the needed runs to avoid the loss.

Michigan entered the game having allowed the second-most earned runs in the Big Ten with a staff ERA of 7.23. The Wolverines’ pitching woes continued in the series opener, as Maryland scored early and often.

Consecutive infield hits from Martin and Chris Hacopian allowed Hojnar to give the Terps a lead in the opening frame for the second consecutive game on a single into left field. 

Maryland then continued its offensive firepower, especially with two outs. Each of its next four RBIs came with two outs in an inning, as the lineup continuously fought hard through frames to provide needed scores.

Two-out base hits from Eddie Hacopian and Hojnar in the top of the second grew the advantage to 4-0. Elijah Lambros’ base hit in the third frame — another two-out knock — extended the lead to 5-0.

Maryland’s offense struggled the rest of the way. Seven of the Terps’ nine starters recorded a hit in their lineup, but the opening unit only notched two hits between the fourth and eighth frames. Maryland scored just one run over the final six innings, with the lone damage a Chris Hacopian solo home run in the top of the sixth.

“It’s great that we had a comeback win and all that, but you’re immediately talking about that fifth inning,” Swope said. “We’re up five to nothing, we get the bases loaded [and] we don’t score another run. I think if we punch through maybe one or two in that situation and make it six or seven to nothing, maybe you put them away earlier.”

Sachem Ramos, Kurt Barr and Rogers stifled Maryland’s bats during the stretch, striking out six batters in the process.

But the Terps’ offense exploded in the top of the ninth with the game on the line. Eddie Hacopian, Keister, Martin and Hojnar all singled to drive home a combined five runs to give Maryland the lead it held onto for the win.

Maryland will look to win the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. and win its 24th consecutive Big Ten series.