After a weekend sweep of Rutgers in New Jersey, the Maryland Terrapins return home as winners of five of their last six games, all in Big Ten play. Before they return to conference play next weekend, the Terps (18-8) will take on the Richmond Spiders at Bob “Turtle Smith Stadium at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The Maryland bats continued their recent hot streak during their weekend trip, scoring 20 runs across the three-game set. Right fielder Marty Costes set the pace for the Terps at the plate, going 5-for-13 with a homer, a triple, five runs scored and three RBIs. The sophomore is in the midst of an excellent season, as he leads the Terps in average (.362), runs scored (22), and slugging (.600), and is tied with Kevin Smith for the team lead with six home runs. The Terps’ pitching staff was just as impressive against the Scarlet Knights, allowing just one run in each of the three contests. After another strong start from Brian Shaffer Friday, the bullpen stole the show for most of the weekend, collectively pitching 10.1 shutout innings.

Meanwhile, the Spiders (11-15) are fresh off a series win against UNC Asheville over the weekend, and have now won four of their last five contests after sustaining two separate five-game losing streaks earlier in the season. At the plate, Richmond has found success despite a severe power shortage (eight total home runs this season), scoring 5.3 runs per game. Shortstop Vinny Capra leads the team with a .374 average and .446 on-base percentage, but a pair of two-way players have stolen the show for the Spiders. Daniel Brumbaugh has seen action in every game this season, hitting .350 with a team-best three homers and four triples while posting a 2.05 ERA in 22 innings on the mound. Jonathan De Marte leads the team with 10 doubles and 20 RBIs, and has allowed just one earned run in eight appearances (11 innings).

Outside of Brumbaugh and De Marte, however, the Spiders have struggled mightily on the mound this season. Layne Looney (2-3, 3.24) is the only other Richmond pitcher with an ERA under 4, as the team has pitched to a 5.57 ERA through 26 games. They have improved of late, however, surrendering no more than four runs in any of their past four contests.

This is the first and only meeting between the Terps and Spiders this year. The two teams last met in March 2015, an 8-3 victory for the Terps in Bel Air, Md.

Starting Pitching Matchup

TUE 4 p.m. EST

So. RHP John Murphy (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. R-So. RHP Brendan McGuigan (0-1, 5.40 ERA)

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The Terps will send sophomore right-hander John Murphy to the mound for his first start of 2017. He has made four appearances out of the bullpen, allowing just two unearned runs over six innings of work while striking out four. The New Jersey native has had a better start to this season than he did a year ago, when he pitched to a 9.82 ERA over 11 innings.

The Spiders will counter with Brendan McGuigan, a redshirt sophomore who is also making his first start of the campaign. He has allowed three runs (all earned) in five innings out of the bullpen this season. He missed most of 2016 with an injury, but posted a 2.44 ERA in 47.1 innings pitched his freshman season.