Big Ten Baseball Tournament: Maryland eliminated by Iowa, 11-0

Maryland was eliminated from the Big Ten Baseball Tournament on Saturday after the Terps fell to Iowa, 11-0. Maryland had difficulty scoring against Nick Gallagher, who threw six innings of one-hit ball, striking out nine Terps. Iowa scored in bunches, tallying three runs in the fourth, five runs in the eighth, and three more in the ninth.

Hawkeyes bunch together three runs

The Terps had chances to score with runners in scoring position in the first two innings, but couldn’t manage to get the clutch hit. Hunter Parsons was keeping the Hawkeyes in check, allowing only two singles through three innings.

Parsons ran into major difficulty in the Hawkeye fourth when he uncharacteristically lost control of the strike zone. With one down Parsons issued walks to Mason McCoy and Austin Guzzo. Robert Neustrom hit a single to center that scored McCoy, with Guzzo taking third. Daniel Moriel hit a grounder that glanced just off of Kevin Smith’s glove for an infield hit: the Hawkeyes were up 2-0. The Iowa lead stretched to three runs on a sacrifice fly. Parsons then issued his third walk of the inning, finishing his day in favor of Ryan Selmer. The tall right hander induced Tyler Peyton to ground into a fore at second.

Given Maryland’s difficulty solving Hawkeye pitching this season, the three-run deficit looked huge.

In the bottom of the fourth the frustration continued, Nick Cieri lined his second single of the game. Iowa replaced their starter Shane Ritter in favor of RHP Nick Gallagher, who excels in long relief. After Gallagher fanned the next two batters, Zach Jancarski hit a swinging bunt for a single. But Justin Morris fanned, and the Terps once again left a runner in scoring position.

Iowa almost added to their lead in the next inning. A single by Joel Booker followed by an error off the glove of Nick Dunn put runners on first and second with one out. A deep fly ball advanced both runners. The Terps elected to intentionally walk Neustrom, loading up the bases. But an unassisted ground ball to Andrew Bechtold ended the Hawkeye threat.

Maryland was struggling against Gallagher. The Hawkeye reliever had allowed only one hit (the Jancarski swinging bunt) while striking out five in three innings.

The Hawkeyes squandered a scoring opportunity in the top of the seventh. Joel Booker hit a leadoff double down the lefty field line, who went to third on a ground out. Selmer struck out Guzzo, and Neustrom was given his second IBB of the game. In a mix-up, Selmer fanned Moriel.

Iowa busts open the game with five runs in the eighth

The Hawkeyes put up a crooked number in the eighth inning. After Joblinske led off with a double in the corner, Zach Daniels laid down a sacrifice bunt with two strikes on him. Selmer fielded the bunt but threw wildly to first. Joblinske scored, and Daniels made it all the way to third on the error. Andrew Miller replaced Selmer. Peyton walked to put runners on the corners with none away. Peyton stole second to take away the double play. Nick Roscetti singled to center to make it 5-0 Iowa. Booker golfed a double to the corner in left, and the Hawkeyes now led 7-0. Andrew Green relieved Miller. After a fly out, Guzzo singled in Booker for the fifth Iowa run in the inning. Robert Galligan relieved Green, and he ended the hemorrhaging.

John Murphy, Cameron Enck, and Zak Guth pitched the ninth, and they surrendered three runs to put Iowa up 11-0. In the bottom of the inning the Terps became Gallagher's 7th, 8th, and 9th strikeout victims.

With the loss, the Terrapins were eliminated from the B1G baseball tournament. Their overall record is 30-27, and most likely the season ends today. I'll have a season recap up next week.