The Maryland Terrapins (4-1) completed the late comeback Friday night to beat the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (3-4) at Whataburger Field and spoil an amazing start from Islanders pitcher Matthew Watson.

Maryland started the game off hot, with both Hacopians picking up first-inning hits. First was Eddie Hacopian, who doubled on the first pitch of the game. Two batters later he was driven home by brother Chris on a single to center, but that 1-0 lead was short-lived.

The Islanders had a quick response, knotting up the score on an RBI double-play after a single, error and walk loaded the bases for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Islanders weren’t done for the inning either, as catcher Logan Vaughan would single to drive in one more and give his squad a 2-1 lead after the first.

After three scoreless half-innings, the action picked back up in the bottom of the third. A leadoff infield hit from Isaac Webb followed by Kevin Keister’s second error of the game gave the Islanders two on with nobody out. Designated hitter Garrett Gruell singled to right to bring home the third run of the game for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Islanders would pick up one more run on a sacrifice fly to take a 4-1 lead into the fourth.

Kenny Lippman’s night was finished in the sixth inning, where he walked back-to-back hitters to start the inning. In relief, Nate Haberthier began his incredible outing by getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the sixth to keep the Islanders at four.

Watson was dealing for the Islanders, allowing just three runs on five hits, and finishing with nine strikeouts in six and two-thirds innings. He was finally chased by the Terps when Jacob Orr singled home Devin Russell with two outs in the top of the seventh to cut Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s lead in half.

The Terps continued their two-out rally after a Brayden Martin walk and Eddie Hacopian hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Then, second baseman Sam Hojnar singled through the right side off reliever Jack Hill to bring home two runs and tie up the game at four.

Haberthier continued his excellent relief in the seventh, where he put down the top of the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi lineup in order. But the Terps appeared to push their luck sending him back out for the eighth. 

The Islanders began the eighth with two singles and a walk to load the bases for the offense with nobody out. Yet Haberthier was able to use some magic one more time, as he got an infield fly from pinch hitter Chance Reisdorph and then forced third baseman Sebastian Trinidad into a 6-4-3 double-play to get out of his second bases-loaded jam of the game.

In the top of the ninth, Maryland finally completed the comeback effort. Orr started the inning with a walk and was sent to second on a sacrifice bunt from Martin. Then Eddie Hacopian singled to right to give the Terps a 5-4 lead. Then for a little extra insurance, Hojnar went yard for his third and fourth RBIs of the night right after him.

The Islanders gave the Terps a little scare in the bottom of the ninth, getting the tying run to home plate with one out. But Trystan Sarcone escaped with just one run allowed, leading to the 7-5 victory for Maryland.

The Terps will look to make it three in a row tomorrow afternoon when they continue the Kleberg Bank College Classic against the Pitt Panthers.