The Terps blew a 7-3 lead Friday.
Maryland baseball loaded the bases with no outs for the third straight inning — only amounting to one run in the previous two — but Alex Calarco’s perfect day continued with a grand slam to put the Terps up 7-3 in the top of the seventh.
It looked as though they would coast to a win.
However, Western Carolina rallied in the bottom half of the inning, scoring five runs on four hits to take an 8-7 lead. It didn’t relinquish that lead for the rest of the game, notching their first win over the Terps in program history.
In the early part of the contest, Maryland wasted no time getting to Western Carolina starting pitcher Josh Ossiander.
Hollis Porter doubled down the left field line, followed by an Alex Calarco single to right field two pitches later. That drove in Porter and gave the Terps a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
Kyle McCoy got into some trouble in the bottom of the opening inning. The Catamounts got runners on base with two infield hits, followed by a three-run home run by Tent Turner to give them a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the third, after it looked like it would be an easy 1-2-3 inning, McCoy walked a batter. That was followed by an Eddie Hacopian throwing error to first, allowing the runners to advance.
McCoy got out of the jam with a strikeout to end the inning, though, avoiding falling into a deeper hole.
Calarco doubled to start the fourth, but Maryland could not drive him in, as transfers Aden Hill and Liam Willson continued to struggle.
Maryland looked to avenge its defensive errors in the top of the fifth, as it got the bases loaded with no outs.
Elijah Lambros singled to the left, followed by a Jordan Crosland walk. Then Brayden Martin reached safely on a sacrifice bunt.
After Eddie’s line drive missile was caught, Chris Hacopian flew out to left field, but that was enough to drive in the run as the Terps tied the score at 3.
The Catamounts then made a pitching change, inserting Josh Ossiander into the game. He recorded the out to end the inning.
With McCoy due to pitch his third time through the order, the Terps kept him in. This proved to be the correct choice, getting through the top of the fifth in single-digit pitches.
The momentum carried over to the bottom of the inning, as Maryland got multiple runners on with no outs for the second straight inning — Calarco’s third hit of the day and Hill’s walk.
Ossiander was one pitch away from escaping the jam when a close call went Maryland’s way for a ball, making the count full. Crosland was hit on the forearm with the next pitch to load the bases.
However, the Terps failed to take advantage, as Martin popped out to left field to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, McCoy got out of a jam after putting runners on the corners, ultimately striking out Cole Jones to end the inning.
Then, Alex Calarco seemed to put the game away with a grand slam in the top of the seventh, but Western Carolina refused to quit.
After the Calarco home run, three straight hitters grounded out for the Terps. Then the momentum flipped, as the Catamounts rallied in the bottom of the seventh.
They first took advantage of reliever Andrew Koshy. Then the Terps turned to Ryan Van Buren, but that didn’t work either. The Catamounts combined for five runs on four hits, taking an 8-7 lead into the eighth.
Neither team scored in the eighth, and Maryland looked to channel the “Cardiac Terps” slogan in the ninth. It wouldn’t come.
Chris Hacopian opened the inning with a single, but the Terps only managed one more runner before Jacob Orr flew out to end the game.
Three things to know
1. Blown lead. After taking a four-run lead in the top of the seventh, Maryland blew it right away in the bottom half, and the Catamounts took an 8-7 lead en route to victory.
2. Relievers struggle. After a strong performance from starting pitcher McCoy — allowing three runs in six innings — the relievers struggled, allowing five runs in the seventh.
3. Calarco stays hot. The Terps’ catcher’s red-hot start continues, going 4-of-5 on the day and blasting his fourth home run of the season to match his 2024 total.