Maryland baseball evens weekend series with 8-2 win over Michigan State

Maryland bounced back nicely Saturday after dropping Friday’s series opener, getting strong pitching and efficient offense in an 8-2 victory over Michigan State.

On a stellar offensive day, it was Nick Dunn leading the charge. The second baseman smashed two home runs, reaching 10 in total this season. He finished 3-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBIs.

Once again, Hunter Parsons delivered for Maryland. The righty lasted seven innings, only allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. As Taylor Bloom is still sidelined with a concussion, Parsons has filled in at the top of the rotation tremendously well.

Dunn got Maryland off to a quick start with a home run in the first to take a 1-0 lead. The Terps got two more runners on, but couldn't get them home.

However, they broke the game open in the second. Maryland loaded the bases with one out thanks to a single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch, and Nick Dunn walked to bring in the second run. That marked the end of Mason Erla’s day, as the Spartans starter only lasted 1.1 innings. Facing a new pitcher, Marty Costes walked to bring another run in, and Kevin Biondic singled to left to score two more. Maryland took a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the inning, with all five runs being credited to Erla.

In the bottom of the second, it looked as if Marty Bechina got the Spartans on the board with a homer, but the umpires reversed the call to foul after getting together. Still 5-0, Parsons striked Bechina out to end the inning

Maryland got another run in the fourth, as Dunn hit his second home run of the day, to make the score 6-0. However, Michigan State got the run back in the bottom of the inning. The Spartans got their first baserunner with a single, and got the run with an RBI single and two outs.

Michigan State scored again the next inning, when Kory Young singled home a man to break a 1-for-19 cold streak. With men on second and first, Michigan State attempted a double steal, but Justin Morris threw Young out at second for the second out, a blow to the Michigan State rally.

In the seventh inning, Costes doubled and Kevin Biondic singled him in for a run. Two innings later, the Terps got men in scoring position with one out, and scored on a passed ball, making the score 8-2.

After Parsons left the game, Kevin Biondic entered in relief, working two scoreless innings to finish the game despite allowing a few baserunners in both the eighth and ninth.

The Terps will go for the series victory Sunday, as they face the Spartans with a 1:05 p.m. ET scheduled first pitch.