The Terps look to extend a four-game winning streak.
A winner of four straight, Maryland baseball kicks off a seven-game road trip this weekend with a series against Charlotte.
Friday’s game was moved up to 3 p.m. and there will be a doubleheader on Sunday. The first game Sunday will be played at noon, and the latter, a seven-inning contest, will start immediately after. All three games will stream on ESPN+.
The Terps (10-3) recorded their first sweep of the season last weekend against Bryant before downing Delaware in a midweek matchup, 3-2.
Charlotte 49ers (7-6, 0-0 AAC)
2023 record: 36-28, 17-12 Conference USA
Charlotte has experienced great success under fifth-year head coach Robert Woodard, winning the Conference USA championship last year.
Charlotte has yet to win a series this year, albeit against tough nonconference competition. The 49ers fell to Virginia Tech, split a four-game series with West Virginia and lost two of three against Old Dominion.
Hitters to watch
Thad Ector, junior outfielder, No. 2 — After spending his first two collegiate seasons at South Carolina and the College of Central Florida, respectively, Ector has found a home in Charlotte. This season, he’s posted a .378 batting average, .986 OPS, seven RBIs and one home run.
Noah Furcht, junior third baseman, No. 8 — In his first season with Charlotte after two outstanding years at Kirkwood Community College, Furcht has been a revelation at third base. With a .341 batting average, 1.041 OPS, nine RBIs and two home runs, Furcht has also recorded 15 hits, nine walks and two stolen bases.
Pitchers to watch
Cole Reynolds, senior left-handed pitcher, No. 37 — Reynolds is also in his first season with Charlotte after transferring from Elon. Expected to start Friday, Reynolds has made three starts and is 1-1 with a 6.35 earned run average in 11 ⅓ innings pitched. In his last outing, Reynolds gave up just one run in five innings.
Cameron Hansen, senior right-handed pitcher, No. 44 – Hansen will most likely be on the mound for the first game Sunday. So far this season, Hansen is 1-2 with a 4.73 ERA in 13 ⅓ innings pitched. He is also currently averaging 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Last season, he pitched 73 ⅓ innings, recording a 3-1 record and a 4.66 ERA.
Strength
Striking out opponents. Charlotte’s pitchers have amassed 154 strikeouts through 13 games this season, good for an average of 11.9 per game. The 49ers will look to continue this prowess against a Maryland team which has only struck out 98 times this year.
Weakness
Striking out. On the contrary, Charlotte batters have been the victim of a lot of punch-outs this year. The 49ers have struck out 123 times, or nearly 9.5 times per game.
Maryland has struck out 98 batters this year, averaging 7.53 strikeouts per game — the same number of times its hitters have struck out.
Three things to watch
1. Charlotte is a tough matchup. This weekend’s series will be a good test for the Terps with Big Ten play starting in a couple of weeks. The 49ers are a solid team with experience against top teams.
2. Can Lippman and Koester keep it up? Last weekend, Maryland got big outings from its Friday and Saturday starters. Lippman went six innings and struck out nine batters while Koester pitched seven scoreless innings.
Against a Charlotte team with power in its lineup, Maryland’s starters will need to be sharp.
3. Pitching depth. After Joey McMannis went 2 ⅓ innings last Sunday, Maryland head coach Matt Swope admitted that he is still “trying to find roles” within his pitching staff, and the starting rotation isn’t set.