Off a program-best season in 2022, Maryland baseball looks for similar success in 2023

By: Harrison Rich and Michael Howes

Coming off one of the strongest seasons in program history, Maryland baseball looks to carry the success that brought it to the Regional Finals into its 2023 campaign.

The Dirty Terps finished with a program-record 44 regular season wins, ending the season ranked No. 9 in RPI. Their season was cut short after falling to UConn in the College Park Regional.

“The one thing I can say about this group is they’ve shown up every day, they’ve gone about their business extremely professionally,” coach Rob Vaughn said of his team’s offseason approach. “I think the leaders of this group … [were] not satisfied watching UConn dogpile on our field and [they] still have a bitter taste in their mouth.” 

Vaughn enters his sixth season at the helm of the program after winning 2022 Big Ten Coach of the Year. Vaughn signed a five-year contract extension before the 2022 season and holds a 141-96 overall record in College Park.

The Terps have a young but experienced group, welcoming in 12 freshmen while retaining large parts of the core that brought them success last season. Maryland projects to start one sophomore and the rest juniors or older in the everyday lineup, according to junior shortstop Matt Shaw.

“Luke [Shliger] and I, we lost to ECU in the final game and then we lost last year against UConn,” Shaw said. “So with that experience, I think we’re ready to go … We understand what it takes to win. We understand what it takes to lose.” 

Shaw and Shliger enter the season named Preseason All-Americans by D1Baseball, joining junior pitcher Jason Savocool. 

Shaw posted a .290 batting average last season with 22 home runs, second on the team. The infielder batted a league-leading .360 in the Cape Cod Baseball League this past summer, earning himself the Perfect Game Baseball Summer Player of The Year honor. Shaw and the Bourne Braves went on to win the league’s title. 

Shliger, ranked by D1Baseball as the No. 1 catcher in collegiate baseball, is set to lead off for the Terps after recording a .495 on-base percentage last season, adding 58 RBIs and 79 runs.  

“I think it’s unique,” Shliger said about batting leadoff as a catcher. “When it was presented to me last year, I kind of took it head on and I enjoyed it … I’m a very disciplined hitter and it gives the people behind me like [Shaw] and [Nick Lorusso] a chance to put up some serious RBI numbers.”

Lorruso, a senior third baseman entering his second season with the Terps, was a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2022. The former Villanova transfer put up 15 home runs and 70 runs batted in while slashing .322/.409/.562 in his initial season in College Park. 

The outfield is more of a question mark, as Maryland will be working to replace the heavy production of outfielder Chris Alleyne, who went on to be drafted in the 19th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers following last season. Alleyne produced 24 home runs and 79 RBIs with a.331/.422/.673 slash line, and was rewarded with Big Ten Player of the Year in his fifth and final season.

The Terps will look for contributions from younger players such as sophomore Ian Petrutz in the outfield to make up for the loss of Alleyne. As a freshman, Petrutz showed flashes of elite production with 9 home runs and 35 RBIs in just 108 at bats.

In its rotation, Maryland has a phenomenal one-two duo.

Savacool was dominant as a sophomore, pitching to an 8-3 record with a 2.93 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 107.2 innings. The right-hander was a First Team All-Big Ten member.

Savacool made his mark in the single-season record books last season, finishing No. 4 in innings pitched, No. 4 in strikeouts, and No. 5 in wins in Maryland program history. The Baldwinsville, NY native is currently No. 12 all-time in wins (15) and will continue to ascend the ladder this season. 

Junior Ryan Ramsey will also be a key piece in the Terps’ rotation, slotting in behind Savacool. The left-hander finished last season with an 11-1 record with a 3.22 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 92.1 innings. Ramsey is tied for ninth in the program history in wins (16).

The Terps have a competitive slate of games to start the season, including opponents such as South Florida, Vanderbilt and the defending NCAA champions, Ole Miss. 

Vaughn wanted to challenge his players right out of the gates to prepare the group for the grueling Big Ten season. The coach believes the squad’s veteran experience will not only allow them to deal with the possible ups and downs of a bumpy start, but also benefit the team long-term for games in May and June.

“You can go out and start the year 20-0 and not challenge yourself and not know what you have,” Vaughn said. “And then when the bullets are flying in conference play, you’re then trying to figure it out.”

The Terps are set to open their season Friday, Feb. 17, beginning a three-game series at USF. 

“I can tell you we’re going to know on February 17 what we have,” Vaughn said.