Maryland baseball captures series victory with 8-4 win over Iowa

Maryland baseball topped Iowa 8-4 on Friday night to secure the weekend series victory. The Terrapins are still not in the Big Ten tournament, as they must either win Sunday or have Northwestern lose its game against Minnesota, but they’re in the No. 8 spot with one game to play.

The Terrapins recorded eight hits, including three three home runs and a bases-clearing triple. Zach Thompson threw a solid 6.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and three walks, struck out seven, and ended up throwing 119 pitches. Mark DiLuia pitched 2.1 innings in relief.

It was déjà vu all over again as for the second straight game, the Terps scored two runs in the first inning courtesy of a Maxwell Costes home run. Taylor Wright had drawn a two-out walk before Costes sent his blast over the right center field wall.

Iowa got a run in its half of the third inning, as Tanner Padgett doubled and Izaya Fullard reached out and flared an RBI single to right. But Maryland put up a three-spot in the bottom of the inning, once more on a two-out hit. The Terps had the bases loaded when Josh Maguire lined one just in front of and past the diving Zeb Adreon. The ball rolled all the way to the wall and Maguire had a bases-clearing triple to make it 5-1.

The Terps extended their lead and knocked out starting pitcher Cam Baumann in the fourth inning. Randy Bednar hit a ball that just cleared the wall in left to put the Terps up 6-1. After Taylor Wright walked, Baumann was pulled in favor of right-hander Duncan Davitt. A wild pitch sent Wright to second, and he scored on an errant throw from second baseman Mitchell Boe on a grounder by Michael Pineiro. Maryland now led 7-1.

Iowa scored a run in the fifth to make it 7-2. Brendan Sher doubled to lead off and went to third on a bunt single by Tanner Wetrich. Chris Whelans’ sacrifice fly brought home Sher. Fullard doubled, but Wetrich was nailed at the plate as he tried to score from first.

Thompson was relieved by Elliot Zoellner in the seventh inning with two outs and a man on second. Zoellner walked a batter, threw a wild pitch and then misplayed a grounder to allow a Hawkeye run. Mark DiLuia came in and got a fly out to keep the Terps on top 7-3.

In the bottom of the inning, Lee homered for the third straight game to give the Terps an 8-3 lead. DiLuia struck out the side in the eighth, and while Iowa scored a run in the ninth, the sophomore tossed the final 2.1 innings and secured the series-clinching victory for the Terps.

Thompson earned the win to move to 3-6 on the year. The Terps are 11-12 in the Big Ten and squared their overall record at 27-27. Maryland takes on Iowa in its final regular-season game Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.