Preview: No. 18 Maryland baseball gets set for midweek battle against Delaware

No. 18 Maryland baseball (3-4) travels back to College Park for a midweek game against Delaware (3-4) on Tuesday.

Following a 48 win season in 2022, Maryland entered the new campaign with high expectations, featuring an explosive offense starring juniors Matt Shaw and Luke Shliger. While the offense has done its job, averaging 7.57 runs a game, the pitching staff has disappointed thus far, highlighted by the Terps’ recent series loss to No. 4 Ole Miss (6-1).

“You look at our weekend, we had 10 opportunities when we scored to hang up a zero on the other side and we were four of ten, which is not good enough,” coach Rob Vaughn said. 

After junior ace Jason Savacool and fifth-year right-hander Kenny Lippman held the Rebels to two runs in a Maryland victory in the series opener, the Terps proceeded to lose the next two games lopsidedly. 

In the second game, the Terps led 6-4 heading into the bottom half of the seventh, but they did not keep the lead long. They gave up three runs in the inning and another five in the eighth, resulting in a 12-6 loss. 

Maryland again led in the third and final game, leading 2-1 heading into the bottom of the third. The lead was short lived again however, as the Rebels pulled off a seven-run inning featuring three home runs to lead 8-2. 

The Terps clawed away at the lead, bringing their deficit down to two, 8-6, in the fourth and then a 10-8 deficit in the fifth. But the Rebels continued their offensive dominance, adding a solo home run in the sixth and then a seven-run inning in the seventh to end the game in mercy rule fashion, 18-8. 

During the weekend series against Ole Miss, Maryland pitchers collectively averaged a 9.72 ERA. On the year, the Terps have a 7.29 ERA after averaging 5.03 the year prior.

“We have enough guys down there now, it’s our job to figure out how to put them in spots to be successful,” Vaughn said. 

While the Maryland offense has generated a lot of runs through homers, 32 of 53 total runs, it has struggled to generate runs elsewhere, stranding 62 runners on base through seven games. 

“We just gotta come out and be better than we were the last two days on Tuesday,” Vaughn said. 

Delaware has also started the season slow, with an identical 3-4 record and a series loss to Ole Miss. 

The Blue Hens got off to a poor 0-3 start after a series sweep by the Rebels. They were outscored 35-6. 

Delaware responded with a 22-11 midweek win over UMBC and a 2-1 series win over Stetson.

Like Maryland, the Blue Hens’ pitching staff has had its struggles to start the season, averaging a 10.83 ERA and 2.13 WHIP. The one bright spot has been redshirt senior ace Joey Silan. The right-hander is averaging a 3.24 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP through two starts this season. 

On the offensive side, the Blue Hens are averaging 8.28 runs per game, enlarged by their 22-run showing against UMBC. 

Redshirt junior outfielder Bryce Greenly leads the offense, batting .360 with two home runs on the season, both team highs. Redshirt junior third baseman Joey Loynd has also contributed bringing in runners, posting 14 RBIs on the young season. 

Redshirt senior second baseman Dan Covino is also a threat on the bases for the Blue Hens, stealing three bases through seven games to go along with his .333 batting average.  

The game is set to start at 4 p.m. at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.