The Terps win their first game of the Swig and Swine College Classic.
Maryland baseball won its season opener for the second straight season in a 6-3 victory over UAB Friday in the Terps’ first game of the Swig and Swine College Classic in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Terps scored six runs on six hits, with every run coming in the fourth inning. The cushion was enough to survive a two-run eighth inning from the Blazers.
While Maryland opened last season with a dramatic victory over Georgia Southern, Friday did not offer the same theatrics. After going scoreless in the first three innings, the Terps offense broke out of its shell in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring six runs on four hits to blow the game open.
Designated hitter Jordan Crosland started the rally with a hit-by-pitch, then catcher Alex Calarco’s walk put runners on the corners. Center fielder Elijah Lambros smoked a ball through the left side to bring Crosland in for the Terps’ first run of the season.
Then, the Hacopian brothers came alive, as Eddie made UAB starting pitcher Cole Cheatham pay once again, singling to right field and driving in Calarco to give Maryland a 2-1 lead. Chris made the Blazers regret the pitching change, clearing the bases on a grand slam to left field to put the Terps up, 6-1.
Maryland started left-handed pitcher Kyle McCoy on the mound, and he allowed just one run in four innings after missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery. McCoy started a bit shaky, throwing 23 pitches in the first inning and allowing a runner to get to third base, but came out firing the next two innings.
McCoy got through the second in just 11 pitches, and Eddie Hacopian’s position change from first to third base didn’t matter, as he made an incredible diving play to close out another 1-2-3 inning.
McCoy ran into trouble in the fourth inning, allowing a double and single to put UAB on the board. This was McCoy’s only blemish, and Maryland’s offense responded.
But the Terps’ offense struggled after their sudden fourth inning surge. It couldn’t register a hit, allowing UAB to pitch its first 1-2-3 inning in the seventh inning.
After a brilliant three innings from reliever Ryan Van Buren, in which he allowed no runs, a walk and a hit on 38 pitches, the Terps brought in senior Andrew Johnson. The Blazers took advantage, as Johnson struggled in the eighth inning, allowing three hits in five batters faced. UAB catcher Nick Hollifield did the most damage, driving in two runners on a single into left field, making the score 6-3.
Lambros’ incredible day continued in the bottom of the inning. He gave the Terps their first hit since the fourth inning, but Brayden Martin negated it, grounding into a double play. UAB closed out the inning on the next batter, giving it a chance in the ninth.
However, the Blazers only got one runner on base, as Johnson closed it out for the Terps in the top of the ninth inning.
Due to inclement weather, the Terps will play a doubleheader Saturday. They commence action with Ball State at 11 a.m. and end with Mercyhurst at 7 p.m.
Three things to know
- McCoy is back. McCoy impressed in his first start since 2023, throwing four innings and allowing just one run on three hits for the Terps.
- Hacopian brothers shined. After a stellar 2024 season where Eddie earned All-Big Ten first-team honors and Chris made the second team as a freshman, the brothers knocked in five of the Terps’ six runs Friday.
- Transfer jitters. Maryland’s transfers struggled in their first games, going 0 for 12. With a chance to snap their 0-of-9 start with runners on the corners in the sixth inning, redshirt sophomore Hollis Porter struck out for the fourth time and sophomore Liam Wilson failed to reach base again.