The Maryland Terrapins are set to play three teams in three days at the Kleberg Bank College Classic at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Texas this weekend.

The Terps will face off with foes from the Southland Conference, ACC, and Pac-12 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, respectively.

Maryland enters the set at 3-1, most recently picking up a 14-3 win in its home opener against Mount St. Mary’s. Tuesday’s offensive attack clicked early in the matchup, as the Terps chased Mountaineer starter Jakob Foster from the game in the first inning after they picked up six runs on just three hits.

The Terps’ bats have been humming to start the 2024 campaign. In their opening series of the season, Maryland took two out of three from Georgia Southern in Statesboro. The offense was lively in those contests, too, hanging 15 runs on the Eagles across just three games.

There are three Terps in the usual starting lineup who are batting over .300, and the team as a whole is hitting .284 to begin the season. 

Here’s what to expect from the opponents in Corpus Christi:

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (3-3)

Last Season

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi ended 2023 with a 24-30 record but played to a decent 12-12 record in the Southland. A mid-major team, the Islanders were an impressive 17-13 at home in 2023. As the host school for this year’s Kleberg Bank College Classic, the Islanders will look to get home cooking again.

This Season

The Islanders are sitting at 3-3 and have scored at least five runs in all six of their contests this season. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has some lively bats, but unfortunately for them, the pitching has been pretty hit or… well… just hit. After allowing just one run per game in their opening series against Central Michigan, the Islanders went on to surrender double-digits in three straight.

Pittsburgh Panthers (3-0)

Last Season

The Panthers are coming off of a forgettable 2023 season where they finished last in the ACC Coastal Division. Pitt ended the year with a subpar 24-31 record and was an abysmal 10-18 in conference play. They were the only team in the coastal division to finish below .500, and one of just two ACC squads that failed to reach that mark.

This Season

Pitt opened its 2024 season with a sweep over Maine, dropping 30 runs on the Black Bears in just three games. However, the offense was doing a good job of making up for the Panther pitching, which surrendered 14 runs in the contests.

Washington Huskies (0-2-1)

Last Season

Washington went 35-20 in 2023 with a 17-12 record in the Pac-12. The Huskies continually flirted with being one of the top teams in the nation last season, and they even cracked the D1 Baseball Top 25 in Week 13. Despite a good regular season in a competitive conference, the Huskies were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament in the Regional Round by Dallas Baptist.

This Season

In the final season of the Pac-12, the Huskies have laid an egg to start the year. The offense struggled in their opening series against Long Beach State, but most impressively, they managed to tie a game against the 49ers. Washington played a grueling 17-inning marathon in the series finale, but both teams stayed stuck on three runs and the game was called a draw.

Hitters to Watch

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: In a potent Islanders offense, the star appears to be designated hitter Garrett Gruell. In his six starts so far, the junior has hit two long balls and leads the team with six RBIs.

Pittsburgh: Catcher Jayden Melendez leads the Panthers with a .615 OBP and 1.240 OPS. The Miami-born junior is patient at the plate too, drawing three walks in their opening series against Maine.

Washington: The Huskies’ offense runs through left fielder AJ Guerrero. In three games this season, the junior has hit .357 with five RBIs. However, he’s a bit of a singles machine so far and has struggled to reach extra bases.

Pitchers to Watch

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: Junior right-hander Riely Hunsaker is the Islanders’ front-line starter, and in his first game of the season, he shut down Central Michigan. Hunsaker held the Chippewa offense to just five hits and one run in his seven innings. It looks like he’ll be taking the mound against the Terps on Friday.

Pittsburgh: Phil Fox, a right-handed redshirt sophomore, has been one of the better arms out of the Pitt bullpen. With one save already under his belt for the 2024 campaign, the probable Panthers’ closer racks up K’s and is an arm to look out for.

Washington: Sophomore Isaac Yeager is a long reliever for the Huskies, but with Washington’s starting pitching struggles he’s already been put to work this season. That said, in his two outings so far, Yeager has pitched to the tune of a 0.40 WHIP and tallied four strikeouts in five total innings.

Probable Starters

Friday, February 23 vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: Kenny Lippman vs. Riely Hunsaker

Saturday, February 24 vs. Pittsburgh: Logan Koester vs. Matt Porter

Sunday, February 25 vs. Washington: Meade Johnson vs. Jared Engman