After going five-straight games without hitting a homerun, the Terps quickly ended their drought in Sunday’s series finale against South Florida. 

With Alex Calarco and Eddie Hacopian both reaching base on a two-out single and walk respectively, first baseman Hollis Porter stepped into the left-handed batter box. 

In a 2-2 count, Porter sent a long flyball over the fence in right-center field, giving the Dirty Terps an immediate three-run lead. But Maryland didn’t hold its lead for long — predominantly due to command struggles. 

Maryland fell behind in the first and had to play catch-up the rest of the afternoon. The Terps made the score close on multiple occasions but couldn’t pull ahead the rest of the day, falling to South Florida, 15-8, at Red McEwen Field.

Lefty Omar Melendez lasted just 0.2 innings in his third start of the year. After giving up an RBI double, Melendez tossed 10 consecutive balls to walk home two more and tie the game. 

Swope removed Melendez after giving up the pair of RBI free passes. The Maryland (10-10) manager turned to Andrew Johnson, who also struggled to find the strike zone. 

Eight of Johnson’s first nine pitches were balls — including a stretch of seven in a row — leading to another pair of RBI walks. 

By the time Johnson escaped the nightmarish first, USF (9-8) held a 5-3 lead on six total walks and just two hits. 

But the Terps’ offense wasted no time picking up Melendez and Johnson.

Maryland scored a pair to tie the game at five. Parker Corbin came in to score on a wild pitch before Chris Hacopian delivered an RBI single on the very next offering. 

Once again though, the Bulls retook the lead in the bottom of the frame.

They brought home one run on a ground ball double play.

Maryland pitcher Logan Koester got a quick third inning, but the Bulls extended their lead to 8-5 after plating two more runs in the fourth.

Outfielder Elijah Lambros displayed impressive defense and knocked an RBI double in the sixth inning to keep the Terps in the game.

Relief pitching on each side slowed the offensive action for both Maryland and USF.

Righty Andrew Koshy contributed three innings of work while giving up one hit and three walks with three strikeouts.

For the Bulls, Jorge DeCardenas entered in the third and pitched 5.2 innings while giving up three runs on four hits with eight strikeouts.

The Terps’ pitching struggles returned in the seventh inning though.

Bulls outfielder Jackson Mayo hit a solo homerun off Brayden Ryan to lead off the frame. That was later followed by an RBI double and RBI single, which put USF ahead 11-6. 

Once again, the Terps’ offense clawed its way back into the contest. 

An RBI double by Elijah Lambros and a Brayden Martin run-scoring single RBI single cut the deficit to 11-8.

But the Bulls countered once more. — this time, putting the game beyond reach for good.

Another eighth inning for the Dirty Terps allowed five to score for USF, giving the home side a 15-8 advantage ahead of the final half inning.

Maryland went quiet in the final inning, dropping Sunday’s rubber match to lose and losing the final non-conference series of the year.

Maryland now turns to its midweek matchup against Georgetown on Tuesday. First pitch of that contest is scheduled for 4 p.m., with Jack Susanin and Tyler Lochte on the call for MBN.