Errors prove costly for Maryland baseball in 10-7 loss to No. 8 Louisville

Coming off of a heartbreaking 8-3 season-opening loss on Friday to Ball State, Maryland baseball looked to bounce back to earn their first win of the season. In their way however, was the No. 8 Louisville Cardinals, who came off of a convincing 7-0 win on Friday.

Ultimately, the Cardinals were too much, taking down Maryland 10-7.

Junior Taylor Bloom took the hill for the Terps, facing off against fellow junior and All-American Kade McClure of Louisville.

The Terps fell down early in the first inning, but it was the second that hurt the Maryland morale, giving up four runs in the bottom frame, highlighted by a Colby Fitch solo home run. Bloom threw 47 pitches in the inning, bringing him to 60 pitches through two innings, a bad sign for the Terps.

Maryland got some redemption back in the top of the third inning, as Nick Dunn hit a 2-run home run, putting the Terps within three at 5-2. Maryland would then get another two runs in the top of the fourth inning, bringing them within one of the Cardinals at 5-4.

Bloom left the game after three innings of work. McClure would leave in the fourth inning. However, the flood gates would open for the Maryland defense, which committed several errors in the inning and five overall in the game. Maryland would give up five runs in the inning, four of which were charged to Hunter Parsons.

The Maryland bullpen shut down the Cardinals after the fifth, not allowing a run for the rest of the game. The Terps’ attack would come in spurts, as they would score two runs in the third, fourth, and sixth innings, and one run in the fifth.

However, in the dying stages of the game, the Terps were unable to produce, as they stranded 14 runners in the game overall.

Despite the loss, Maryland had several bright spots in the game. First baseman Brandon Gum started in his first game for the Terps, and he went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and two walks. Second baseman Nick Dunn went off, going 3-for-5 on the night with a home run and 3 RBI, after going hitless on Friday. DH Will Watson started his first game for the Terps, going 2-for-5 with an RBI double.

Bloom was charged with the loss for the Terps, going to 0-1 on the season. Jake Sparger got the win for the Cardinals for his work in the middle innings, tossing 1.1 innings while giving up a run.

The loss brings the Terps to 0-2 on the season, while Louisville is now 2-0. The Terps will finish the Clearwater tournament tomorrow as they look to get their first win of the season against Alabama State at 10 a.m. It will be broadcast on the Maryland Baseball Network, with the pregame coverage starting at 9:30 a.m.