The Terps will make a final postseason push in the last three games of the regular season.
Winners of six of its last seven games and two series victories in a row, Maryland baseball will host Rutgers for its regular season series finale as both teams look to make the Big Ten Tournament.
The Terps need to sweep the series and get some help, while the Scarlet Knights likely need to win just one game to secure a postseason spot.
Games one and two will take place on Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m., while game three will start at 1 p.m. on Saturday. All three games will air on Big Ten Plus.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (26-26, 13-14 Big Ten)
2024 record: (28-25, 6-18 Big Ten)
Head coach Steve Owens is in his sixth year at Rutgers and has experienced great success in his career. He is an 11-time conference coach of the year, ranks No. 5 among active Division I coaches in wins and has 31 winning seasons as a head coach with 13 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Under Owens, Rutgers has experienced the best three-year stretch in school history and has already broken the program record for wins in a season.
Rutgers is currently in a good position to make the Big Ten Tournament. The Scarlet Knights dropped its first two against Penn State last weekend but bounced back in the finale and control their own destiny heading into their final regular season series.
Hitters to watch
Trevor Cohen, junior outfielder, No. 4 — Cohen came into Rutgers as a highly rated recruit and has delivered in his three collegiate seasons. After earning a spot on the 2023 Big Ten All-Freshman team, Cohen has improved his average every season — .298 in his first year to third in the Big Ten with a .374 this season — and has 16 stolen bases while starting all 52 games.
Ty Doucette, sophomore infielder, No. 36 — The former member of the Canadian national team has been a consistent hitter in his two years at Rutgers. As a freshman, he batted .321 with nine home runs. In 2024, he increased both totals to .338 and a team-high 11 home runs, while leading the team with 47 RBIs.
Peyton Bonds, sophomore outfielder, No. 25 — The Campbell University transfer has improved in his first season in power conference play. He has improved his average from .267 as a freshman to .306 this season, and is a threat to steal with 14 stolen bases.
Pitchers to watch
London Mack, freshman right-hander, No. 18 — Mack has been a consistent Friday starter for the Scarlet Knights as a freshman. In his 13 starts, he has a 4.30 ERA and team-best 1.17 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) with a 4-5 record across a team-high 69 innings.
Justin Shadek, redshirt freshman right-hander, No. 31 — After missing all of last season due to injury, Shadek has provided stability in the Scarlet Knights’ rotation in 2025. He has a lackluster 7.64 ERA across 53 innings in his 13 starts with a 3-4 record.
Matthew Cruz, freshman right-hander, No. 29 — Cruz is another standout freshman for Rutgers out of the bullpen. In 18 innings, he has a 2.50 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP and 19 strikeouts compared to 11 walks.
Strength
Freshman arms. Rutgers has abundant freshmen arms in the rotation that have provided much-needed innings this season.
Weakness
Lineup depth. The Scarlet Knights have three players hitting above .300, with a slight drop-off amongst the rest of the lineup.
Three things to watch
1. Three starters for Maryland. Brayden Ryan will start on Thursday, Kyle McCoy on Friday and Omar Melendez will start in the finale on Saturday. How they perform may define the Terps’ season.
2. Game 7 mentality. The Terps have consistently said they are playing every game with a “Game 7” mentality down the stretch, and will need it most this weekend. It will be interesting to see if they come out with energy on Friday.
3. Chance to salvage a disappointing season. Although it has not seen the success expected this season, Maryland has an opportunity to end things on a positive note with a series sweep and some help in making the postseason.