The starting pitchers for today's rubber game of the series between Maryland and Michigan were Willie Rios (1-0, 6.80 era) vs LHP Brett Adcock (2-3, 5.40 era).
Ugly first inning finds Terps down by five
It was a strange top of the first. Adcock walked the bases loaded, but also struck out the side. In all, the southpaw needed 38 pitches to get through the inning.
The bottom of the first was a disaster. Michigan scored five runs before a batter was retired. The Wolverines collected four hits and a walk, chasing Rios. Tayler Stiles came in with the bases loaded and the Terps in a two-run hole. Kyle Jusick cleared the bases with a double to left field. Stiles got out of the inning with no further damage. But once again a Terrapin starting pitcher allowed a big inning early in the game, and the Terps found themselves in a large hole.
Terps score twice, but base running mistakes costly
The third inning started off like the first, with Brandon Lowe and Kevin Smith drawing walks. But Nick Cieri singled in a run, as did Jose Cuas. Kevin Martir sent a shot to the wall in left, but Cody Bruner was able to track it down. The Terps trailed 5-2.
Cuas singled to start the sixth inning, but was cut down trying to stretch it into a double. It was not the first time today that a base running blunder was costly. Earlier in the game Smith was picked off first, and Cieri was doubled up when he mistakenly thought a pop fly would fall in.
Stiles had a terrific outing, keeping the Terps in the game. He threw seven innings of shutout ball, allowing just two hits and a walk.
The Terps failed to score after the third inning, mustering only five hits through eight. Alex Robinson mowed down the side in the bottom of the eighth, giving the Terps one more chance to rally.
Martir singled under Jacob Croneworth's glove to start the ninth. But he was left there as the next three hitters went down.
Willie Rios took the loss to go 1-1. The Terps fall to 18-7, 4-2 in the B1G.