Photo courtesy of Kevin Snyder/Maryland Athletics.
Maryland entered the bottom of the ninth inning with a 6-3 lead – the Terps just needed three outs to secure the win.
When the game finished, Maryland was still three outs short. The Terps (3-2, 0-0 B1G) fell in the series opener against Louisiana (3-2, 0-0 Sun Belt), losing 7-6 on a walk with the bases loaded. A ninth inning collapse from Maryland’s bullpen allowed the Rajin’ Cajuns to score four runs on just two hits – all without recording an out.
The game started as a pitcher’s duel, with neither team scoring through the first two innings.
Brayden Martin hit a double in his first plate appearance – his second straight game with an extra base hit in his first trip to the plate. Kaunas followed up with a single, setting the Terps up in good position with only one out – but they were unable to push a run across.
Lance Williams got his second start on the mound this season. He started strong with two strikeouts in the first – Williams was blazing his fastball by hitters early, consistently touching the upper nineties.
The game’s first score came in the third inning – Ryan Costello continued his fast start to the season, drilling a three run homer to put Maryland ahead.
David Mendez added to the lead with his first home run of the season, making it 4-0.
The Ragin’ Cajuns finally got to Williams in the fifth – they loaded the bases, and a RBI groundout from Freshman Josh Lim cut the lead to three and ended Williams’ night. He finished with five strikeouts and one earned run allowed. Cristofer Cespedes came in, getting a flyout to escape the inning.
Defensive miscues in the sixth brought Louisiana back into the game. A wild pitch allowed Steven Spalitta to advance to second base, and a deep drive Colt Brown got Spalitta across home plate – a bobble from Martin let Brown get to second.
Another wild pitch advanced Brown to third and a single to right brought him home, closing the gap to 4-3 – the Terps escaped the inning with the lead.
Antonio Morales opened the seventh with a walk, and Mendez added a single to put two runners on with no outs. A wild pitch moved both runners up, but the Cajuns were able to record two outs without giving up a run.
With two outs in the seventh, Paul Jones II came in as a pinch hitter. He knocked the first pitch he saw into center field for a double that scored both runners, extending the lead to 6-3.
Cespedes settled in well in relief, retiring six straight hitters at one point of his outing, striking out three and keeping the three run lead intact going into the final frame.
Mendez was able to get on base again after getting hit by a pitch to start the ninth. A ground out from Martin moved Mendez to second and he proceeded to steal third, putting him 90 feet from an important insurance run, but a strike out ended Maryland’s threat.
Back-to-back walks to open the bottom of the ninth put the tying run at the plate for Louisiana. Two singles later, the Cajuns had cut the lead to 6-4 – and had the bases loaded with no outs.
Jayson Torres, a junior transfer from Seton Hall, took the mound in a dangerous situation – pinch hitter Owen Galt stepped into the box with the winning run on first base. Galt was hit by a pitch, bringing in a run, and Torres walked the next batter to tie the game.
Sophomore Ryan Bailey was the Terps’ last hope – he entered the game with the bases loaded, no outs, and the winning run on third. With the crowd rising in noise, Louisiana hitter Blaze Rodriguez worked a full count. One pitch in the dirt later – the game was over.
Maryland looks to bounce back in the second game of the series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
