Image: Olivia Smith Hoosier Network
The Hoosiers look to build on the momentum they gained last weekend in a series against Rutgers. Indiana hopes to win its second straight Big Ten series, but it has to go on the road to College Park to do so against Maryland.
Friday: Indiana 11, Maryland 3
In the series opener, the Hoosiers could feel that good things were on their way, as Hogan Denny started the game off with a solo home run to right field. Then, in the second, Cal Gates’ RBI single drives in Will Moore, giving the Hoosiers an early 2-0 lead. The Terps quickly respond with a solo shot to center field from Rylen Stockt.
Home runs will become all too familiar for Indiana, as they will hit five on the day. The second is from Cole Decker, who had a solo shot in the fourth. In the sixth inning, the Hoosiers put the game out of reach for Maryland, scoring six runs.
The six-inning Hoosier onslaught starts with Cooper Malamazian’s solo homer to left. Then Will Moore will score off a wild pitch error. Caleb Koskie clears the bases with a three-run homer to left, followed by a Brayden Ricketts homer to left.
Maryland attempts to respond with two runs in the seventh, but it was too little too late for the Terrapins. T.J Schuyler hits a sacrifice bunt in the ninth to score Malamazian, and then the scoring gets wrapped up for the Hoosiers with a Jake Hanley RBI double, bringing home Will Moore, and the Hoosiers take game one in College Park.
Tony Neubeck popped on the mound with a six-inning, one-earned-run, quality start for the Hoosiers, propelling them to a victory.
Saturday: Maryland 14, Indiana 4
Indiana’s offense would continue where it started on Saturday with a three-run first inning. Malamazian’s two RBI single drives home Koskie and Hanley. Then Decker doubles to bring home Malamazian.
Maryland will then score six unanswered runs off Reagan Rivera’s arm. David Mendez starts it off for the Terps, walking in Brayden Mart. Jordan Crosl’s two RBI double in the second scored Colin Gibbs and Devin Russell. Ty Kaunas RBI double scored Crosl. Than a Paul Jones II double score Mart. Maryland’s surge ends with a Nate Hawton scored Ty Kaunas.
Jake Hanley Homers in the third, but it is all Terrapins from there. The Hoosiers get Mercy-ruled in seven innings as pitching really struggles. Righty Ivan Mastalski pitched 2.1 innings, giving up two runs, and righty Jacobi Kaden gave up four runs in two innings. Conner Linn and Anthony Gubitosi combine for an inning pitched, and each gives up a run as well, as the pitching struggles and allows 14 Maryland runs.
Sunday: Maryland 8, Indiana 6
This time, it’s the Terrapins who start where they left off, with a two-run first inning caused by two RBI singles scoring both Ty Kaunas and Jordan Crosland. Hoosiers will get on the board in the third with an Ayden Crouse RBI double, scoring Will Moore. Top of the fourth, Moore singles to score Caleb Koskie.
Crouse and Jake Hanley both hit solo home runs to center in the fifth. Then, in the bottom, Maryland’s Paul Jones II hits a sacrifice fly, driving in Jordan Crosland.
Maryland pitcher Austin Weiss has an error on a failed pick-off attempt as Aiden Crouse scores in the sixth for the Hoosiers. Maryland hits a solo home run in the bottom of the bat of David Mendez. This sets up the bottom of the ninth with the Hoosiers holding onto a 6-4 lead.
Indiana pitcher Jackson Yarberry starts the ninth, putting runners on first and second with one out before getting pulled for Michael Sarhatt. Nate Hawton-Henley walks to load the bases before Devin Russell takes the bat. Russell hits a walk-off grand slam off of a 3-1 count to win the game 8-6 for Maryland.
It is another late-game collapse for the Hoosiers that gives them yet another loss this season. The Hoosiers continue to struggle and now fall to 14-21 on the year.