Maryland baseball’s struggles continue with 8-1 loss at William & Mary

Maryland baseball dropped its third straight game with an 8-1 loss to William & Mary on the road Wednesday.

The Terps managed only six hits, and surrendered two home runs, one a grand slam in the seventh to break the game open. It’s Maryland’s first midweek loss of the year, but Rob Vaughn’s team now holds a losing record at 13-14.

Tuck Tucker started for the Terps and went four innings, giving up three runs on four hits, one walk, two hit batsmen, and four strikeouts. In all, the Tribe got only seven hits, but free passes and home runs with men on base did Maryland in. The staff combined to allow six walks and three hit batsmen. William & Mary’s pitchers kept the Terps at bay, striking out 12 batters and allowing just a single run.

The Tribe struck first without the benefit of a hit. In the first inning, they loaded the bases off Tucker on two hit batsmen and a walk. Hunter Hart hit a sac fly to right to make it 1-0. The Terps tied it in the third on an opposite-field home run from catcher Justin Vought, but William & Mary took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a double by Owen Socher and a two-run blast off the bat of Hunter Smith.

Elliot Zoellner started the fifth inning for Maryland. Socher drew a walk, stole second and then went to third when the throw went into center field. Smith hit a ground out that scored Socher to give the Tribe a 4-1 lead. Zoellner had to leave the game due to an injury to his right hand, and was replaced by southpaw Sean Fisher, who threw a clean 1.2 innings of work.

In the top of the sixth, the Terps threatened but came away empty. Maryland loaded the bases with no outs as Chris Alleyne singled, Randy Bednar got aboard via an error and Taylor Wright walked. But Maxwell Costes and Caleb Walls fanned, and AJ Lee hit a check-swing grounder back to the pitcher to end the inning.

Nick Turnbull came on in relief in the bottom of the seventh. He hit the first batter and walked the next, and was pulled for Mark DiLuia. After retiring the first two hitters, DiLuia walked a batter, then surrendered a grand slam to Brandon Raquet. That turned a 4-1 game into an 8-1 blowout, and the Tribe cruised from there.

The Terps start a three-game series at Illinois on Friday.