The Terps jumped on the Hoyas early and never looked back.
By Ben Geffner
Maryland made quick work of Georgetown on Tuesday, scoring early and cruising to a 14-5 victory.
The Terps dominated in the early innings after Georgetown’s Jake Hyde hit a leadoff home run that scorched past the right field wall, his first of two blasts on the day.
Maryland’s answer — a seven-run first inning — occurred despite the Terps recording just one hit in the opening frame. Hoyas starting pitcher Johan Franco walked Sam Hojnar and then hit both Chris and Eddie Hacopian. With the bases loaded, Kevin Keister drew yet another Franco walk to tie the score at one.
The Terps didn’t stop scoring there, even after Georgetown replaced Franco with Marcelo Mastroianni. A two-run double from Alex Calarco scored both Keister and Eddie Hacopian, providing the Terps with the lead. Later, Devin Russell was hit by a pitch, which drove in Keister, and Elijah Lambros was then walked to bring in Calarco.
An Eddie Hacopian flyout scored Devin Russell — the final tally in a near-40 minute first inning.
“I think what we did a little bit better today … was cashing in on the bases loaded,” Terps head coach Matt Swope said. “… We did a really good job of just staying consistent, being tough at-bats.”
In the subsequent innings, Maryland relied on the long ball. Keister blasted a two-run home run in the second inning, and a red-hot Sam Hojnar left the building in the third.
Up 10-2 in the fifth inning, the Terps didn’t settle, crafting another strong offensive sequence. Eddie Hacopian started things with a quick single up the middle, bringing in Brayden Martin. A Keister walk with the bases loaded and ensuing Georgetown error added two more runs, providing the Terps with a more than comfortable lead.
The finishing touches on Maryland’s statement win came in the eighth inning when Calarco homered over the left-field wall.
“The big thing that Matt [Swope’s] talked on is process, and [being] completely process oriented … The results will take care of itself and that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Calarco. “Don’t let us get hot. We’re going to have some fun.”
Maryland’s at-bats weren’t the only impressive aspect of its performance Tuesday — starting pitcher Ryan Van Buren was dominant as well. In last week’s win over Mount St. Mary’s, Van Buren had four strikeouts in 5 ⅔ innings of work. The right-handed junior had another impressive midweek start against the Hoyas, notching new single-game career highs in both innings pitched (six) and strikeouts (seven).
Three things to know
1. Van Buren shut Georgetown down. Van Buren continues to impress early in the season. The right-handed junior pitcher now holds a 2-0 record as the team’s go-to midweek starter.
2. Offensive explosion. Georgetown’s pitching woes resulted in countless walks, but Maryland still impressed at the plate. The first seven Terps in the lineup got on base and scored runs.
3. New arrivals fitting in. A high-profile freshman class has proven essential to the Terps’ success. Martin and Chris Hacopian combined for three runs Tuesday, with pitcher Duke McCarron allowing just one hit in three innings out of the bullpen.