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Maryland Baseball: Terps rout UMBC to avoid elimination

By Chris Bengel

Mar 10, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; The Maryland Terrapins mascot "Testudo" dances on the court during a stoppage in play against the Northwestern Wildcats in the first half during the Big Ten Conference Tournament at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; The Maryland Terrapins mascot "Testudo" dances on the court during a stoppage in play against the Northwestern Wildcats in the first half during the Big Ten Conference Tournament at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Maryland baseball team didn’t much production from their offense in Friday’s 9-1 loss to West Virginia.

On Saturday, the Terrapins erupted at the plate in a 16-2 win over UMBC to stay alive in the NCAA Tournament.

Maryland tallied 10 hits and four home runs on the afternoon. Shortstop Kevin Smith ripped a pair of three-run home runs to pace the Terps.

Smith’s six RBIs were a Maryland NCAA Tournament record.

Maryland’s offense got things going in the second inning when catcher Justin Morris ripped a two-run home run to give the Terps a 2-1 lead. Starting pitcher Taylor Bloom had allowed a solo home run to the UMBC’s Zach Bright in the previous inning.

The Terps continued to stay hot at the plate in the fourth inning when they erupted for a six-run frame.

Second baseman Nick Dunn and designated hitter Will Watson started off the inning with a pair of walks. Dunn ended up scoring on an error and Smith followed it up with his first three-run home run of the game.

Maryland scored six of those runs on just one hit in the inning.

In the fifth inning, the Terps added three more runs to extend their lead to 11-1. Left fielder Dan Maynard walked to start off the inning, advanced on a wild pitch, and ended up scoring on an RBI double from third baseman AJ Lee.

Maynard, who doesn’t see the field a whole lot, went 2-for-4 with three runs scored on the afternoon. He was one of four Terps that scored multiple runs on Saturday.

As impressive as the offense was, Bloom pitched extremely well all afternoon. The junior starter surrendered just two runs on seven hits while walking just two.

What’s even more special is the fact that he did all of that while not recording a single strikeout.

Except for Dunn and Watson, every Maryland starter registered at least one hit. Having four players knock in multiple runs also didn’t hurt their cause.

Next: Role players carry Terps to national title

It was a strong win for Maryland considering their struggles against West Virginia on Friday. The Terps excelled in all aspects of the game and were able to stay alive in the NCAA Tournament.

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