Photo by Ian Cox/Maryland Terrapins
With two strikes and runners on second and third, outfielder Elijah Smith had a chance to end the game for Western Carolina. The senior did just that, crushing a high strike over the batter’s eye and into the trees in center field.
The home run resulted in the second lead Maryland baseball squandered in its session series with the Catamounts.
Maryland dropped the final game of their three-game away series 11-9 against Western Carolina on Sunday at E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee, NC.
The Terps (3-3) and Catamounts (3-4) were tied at three runs going into the fifth inning before Western Carolina took a three-run lead. Center fielder Brayden Corn scored on a sacrifice fly from second baseman Trent Turner, and Cole Jones and Trey Spees scored off an error. The two teams traded runs in the seventh inning to put the score at 7-4 going into the bottom of the ninth.
Sophomore pitcher Griffin Guinther took the mound as the closer against the Terps, retiring two batters to start the inning. But senior Jacob Orr started a two-out rally, and by the time sophomore Chris Hacopian came to the plate, the bases were loaded. Guinther worked Hacopian to his final strike but left the payoff pitch over the heart of the plate, allowing the Maryland shortstop to crush a go-ahead grand slam over the wall in right-center field.
Taking the mound in the bottom of the ninth for the Terps was sophomore Andrew Koshy. The Wake Forest transfer found himself in a similar situation as Guinther did in the top of the frame. Bases loaded with two outs and a chance to win the game for his team.
The result was similar as Koshy pegged Corn with the pitch, scoring the tying run from third base.
The Terps responded in the following at-bats, as senior catcher Alex Calarco gave the Terps their second one-run lead in as many innings on a wild pitch.
But with a second chance to close out the Catamounts, the Terps’ pitching once again faltered.
With two strikes, Koshy delivered the pitch, which Jones hammered to center field, leaving senior Elijah Lambros with his hands on his head as he watched the ball fly over the batter’s eye.
The home run is only Jones’ third career hit, going hitless in yesterday’s blowout loss. He accounted for a fourth RBI in the seventh inning, scoring catcher Jack Spyke on a sac fly.
The Terps could not close the three-run gap before the last strike of the ninth inning largely because of pitcher Cannon Pickell. The senior relieved starter Davis Wright in the sixth inning and recorded six strikeouts in the two innings he pitched. His fastball consistently hit 99 miles per hour, baffling Maryland’s hitters. Only Orr was able to manage a hit off of Pickell, which he was able to turn into a run.
The Terrapins have not yet found an answer to their bullpen troubles, with Andrew Johnson ending the day as the only reliever not to give up any runs. Aside from Johnson, the lowest reliever ERA on the day was freshman Ryan Bailey’s 9.00, beating freshman Logan Hastings’ 13.50 and Koshy’s 16.20.
The Terps will look to fix their bullpen struggles when they prepare to host their season opener at Bob Turtle Smith Stadium on Tuesday.
