For the second consecutive game, the Maryland Terrapins’ baseball team struggled on the mound, dropping a midweek matchup to William and Mary by a score of 10-4.
The Terps (2-2) got off on the right foot in the first inning, as outfielder Zach Jancarski launched a solo homerun to put the Terps up early.
However, like Sunday’s 13-6 loss to Tennessee, the lead would not last for long.
Sophomore pitcher Elliot Zoellner made his first career start for the Terps on Wednesday, allowing one run to score in the bottom of the first on a Hunter Smith RBI single that brought home Ryan Hall.
In the bottom of the second following an error by AJ Lee and a ground-rule double, head coach Rob Vaughn decided to go the bullpen with runners on second and third and only one out. The quick hook proved that it would be a bullpen game for the Terps.
Zoellner finished with one earned run in 1 ⅓ innings of work and similar to Hunter Parsons’s performance on Sunday, it would be up to the relief pitcher to keep the game competitive.
Billy Phillips pitched a scoreless inning in his return from battling cancer last game but could not escape the jam Zoellner had created. An RBI groundout by Matt McDermott and an RBI double by Hall had the Tribe leading 3-1 after two.
It would also be a bullpen game for the Tribe, as starter Nick Butts only went two scoreless innings before being replaced.
William and Mary would add some insurance in the third, scoring three runs on an RBI triple off the bat of Smith, an RBI groundout by Jason Waldman and a solo homer from Zach Pearson.
Will Watson and Kevin Biondic would try to help the Terps climb back in the fourth, as Watson brought home Taylor Wright on an RBI groundout and Biondic doubled home AJ Lee.
The runs put Maryland back in striking distance, but a throwing error by AJ Lee in the sixth that allowed two runners to cross the plate. Then, a Hall single that brought home two runs in the seventh put the game out of reach.
Zach Jancarski would add another homer to his day with a solo shot in the Terps’ seventh, but it would not be enough.
The Tribe (1-4) used four relief pitchers to pick up their first victory of the season and will start preparing for a weekend series against Quinnipiac.
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