The Terps face an in-state foe Tuesday.
Maryland baseball will face another in-state rival for its midweek game, as it takes on Towson on Tuesday in its first of four home games this week.
The Terps followed a similar script to many of its series this past weekend, going 1-2 against Indiana, and failing to gain any ground in conference play.
Tuesday’s game will start at 6 p.m. and stream on Big Ten Plus.
Towson Tigers (13-27, 5-10 Coastal Athletic Association)
Head coach Matt Tyner is in his seventh season coaching Towson, but the program has not had much success during his tenure. The Tigers have exceeded 20 wins just once, and have lost 30 or more games in every full season.
This season has been similar. Towson is in second-to-last in the CAA standings and is currently on a five-game losing streak.
Hitters to watch
Max D’Alessandro, junior outfielder, No. 28 — D’Alessandro is in his first season at the Division I level and has transitioned well. He has started all 33 games he’s played in, and is batting .325 while leading the team with eight home runs and a 1.006 OPS.
Brian Heckelman, junior catcher, No. 17 — Heckelman has spent his three collegiate seasons with the Tigers, and has improved every year. His batting average is up over 100 points this season — jumping from .239 to a team-high of .362 — while posting 28 RBIs.
Jordan Peyton, redshirt senior infielder, No. 3 — Peyton’s numbers are down this season, but he is still one of the team’s leading bats. He has started all 40 games this season, boasts a .295 batting average — down from a .336 average last season — and leads the team in total hits with 44.
Pitchers to watch
Jace Cunnane, junior right-hander, No. 21 — Cunnane has started the last two midweeks for the Tigers. He has posted a 6.64 ERA with a 0-2 record in 20.1 innings and 11 appearances this season.
Nick Karls, redshirt sophomore right-hander, No. 10 — Karls appeared in Towson’s prior two midweeks, but struggled. In 9.1 innings this year, he boasts a 12.54 ERA and has totaled more earned runs (13) than strikeouts (8).
Nate Nabholz, redshirt senior right-hander, No. 23 — Nabholz has been the best arm for the Tigers this season. He has pitched 33 innings out of the bullpen with a team-best 2.18 ERA and 3-0 record.
Strength
Stolen bases. Towson has stolen 85 bases this season, good for fifth in the CAA.
Weakness
Pitching. The Tigers have one pitcher with an ERA under five and given up 45 more runs than they have scored this season.
Three things to watch
1. Battle of struggling bullpens. Maryland and Towson’s bullpens have struggled this season, which could lead to a high-scoring affair.
2. Will Brayden Ryan start again? After struggling to find a consistent midweek starter, Ryan delivered last week for the Terps, putting him in position to make his fifth start of the season.
3. Time is running out. Maryland is in second-to-last in the Big Ten standings with only 15 games remaining in the regular season to work its way into the 12-team Big Ten Tournament. While a win Tuesday won’t effect the conference standings, the Terps could certainly use a morale boost.