Maryland baseball walks off Michigan State, 5-4, to secure series win

Brayden Martin walked it off for Maryland baseball in the tenth inning of game one of its weekend series with Michigan State on Friday. 

With two outs and runners on first and second in the bottom of the tenth on Sunday, Martin had another opportunity to be the hero for the Terps.

Martin did just that. He slapped an opposite-field line drive in left field to secure the win for Maryland over the Spartans, 5-4. The victory secured the series win for the Terps (18-6, 2-1 Big Ten) and kept them undefeated in their weekend series this season.

“I didn’t know if it was enough to get over [Nick Williams] because I had a one-handed swing,” Martin said. “But then, when he started running backward, I knew it was over his head.”

Michigan State (9-12, 1-2 Big Ten) got another excellent performance from its starting pitcher. This time it was Nick Ferazzi, who allowed just one run on three hits through a season-high six innings. Ferazzi did most of his damage through strikeouts, finishing the day with seven strikeouts.

It was the Spartans’ bullpen that allowed Maryland to secure the comeback win.

The Terps broke the scoreless tie early in the game in an unconventional way. Jacob Orr laid down a bunt with runners on second and third with two outs, and the throw to first pulled first baseman Sam Busch off the base to allow Chris Hacopian to score.

That was the lone damage against Ferazzi. Michigan State’s bullpen imploded in the eighth inning.

Alex Calarco had struggled in his recent games at the plate, but a two-out base hit to right-center field scored Sam Hojnar and started a two-out rally for Maryland. A pitch clock violation walked Kevin Keister, then a wild pitch and another walk allowed the Terps to tie the game at four.

“You have to take advantage of the opportunities,” coach Matt Swope said. “We get someone on and we end up pushing through with two outs and put the pressure on them. And that’s what good teams do.”

Calarco started his first game of the season at catcher after offseason shoulder surgery. Swope was very complimentary of Calarco’s performance behind the plate.

“It was [freaking] ridiculous,” Swope said of Calarco. “His hands are elite [and] he was stealing pitches.”

The Terps’ pitchers had struggled in the early innings in their previous two games, but starting pitcher Joey McMannis silenced Michigan State’s bats. McMannis retired nine of the first ten batters and did most of his damage through ground balls on soft contact. 

McMannis put in a good performance for Maryland, allowing just five hits and two earned runs through a career-high six innings pitched. 

“His tempo was better,” Swope said about McMannis. “Getting his tempo up and letting him feel the rhythm and then him feeling the confidence…that’s when you become unstoppable.”

Christian Williams finally broke through for the Spartans, blasting a home run on the first pitch of the fifth inning over the left field fence. Ryan McKay ripped a two-run single in the top of the sixth to push Michigan State ahead 3-1, and Noah Bright blasted a towering solo home run in the seventh frame to extend the lead further.

But the Spartans’ four runs weren’t enough, as the Terps rallied late to tie the game and eventually win it in extra innings.

Maryland will now get ready for another road trip as it takes on Georgetown on Tuesday at 4 p.m.