With this weekend’s series against Washington on the line in Sunday’s rubber match, the potent Maryland offense that terrorized opposing pitchers over the first month of the season completely disappeared. 

After only scoring a combined six runs in the first two games of the series, the Terps’ bats went even colder in the overcast Pacific Northwest. Maryland (12-12, 2-4 Big Ten) was shut out for the first time this season in a 2-0 loss to Washington on Sunday afternoon.

The Huskies (11-14, 4-2 Big Ten) took control of the series finale in the third inning. Washington third baseman Blake Wilson led the inning off with a double, which was followed by a sacrifice fly. From there, senior Casen Taggert delivered an RBI groundout to bring Wilson home for the game’s first run.

Washington struck again in the fifth inning with more small-ball. 

After plunking the leadoff hitter, freshman starter Jake Yeager walked the following batter. In that two-on, nobody-out jam, Yeager induced consecutive groundouts which limited the damage but allowed the Huskies’ lead runner to score. 

Yeager allowed a two-out walk following Washington’s second groundout RBI of the game, marking the end of his afternoon. 

The freshman only gave up three hits and two earned runs in his 4.2 innings pitched, but that proved to be the difference in a game where Maryland’s bats were dead silent.

Fellow freshman Cristofer Cespedes came on in relief of Yeager. 

Cespedes immediately escaped the fifth-inning jam by forcing a fielder’s choice. He then went on to retire the next nine Washington batters to keep Maryland’s comeback hopes alive throughout the late innings.

It was projected to be a bullpen day for the Huskies. Their starter, freshman Justin Tims, hadn’t gone longer than three innings in any appearance prior to Sunday’s game. But the right-hander dominated in his fourth career start. 

Tims silenced the Terps lineup through 5.2 innings of scoreless work. He only allowed three singles — all with two outs — while striking out five. 

The Terps’ closest scoring opportunity while facing Tims came in the sixth inning after Chris Hacopian knocked a two-out base hit up the middle. Catcher Alex Calarco then reached base on a walk, pushing Chris Hacopian to second base — the first runner Maryland got into scoring position on Sunday. 

While this threat was enough to knock Tims out of the game, the rally quickly stalled. Huskies reliever Josh Emanuels struck out Eddie Hacopian to end the inning and keep the Terps off the scoreboard.

The Terps threatened again in the eighth inning with Emanuels still on the hill. 

In a similar sequence of events, a Brayden Martin single up the middle followed by a Chris Hacopian walk once again put runners at first and second with two outs. But in similar fashion, Emanuels navigated around the traffic by striking out Calarco to shut down the late threat.

Down to its final out in the ninth inning, Maryland once again worked a two-out rally.

Jacob Orr knocked a two-out single to extend the inning before Aden Hill followed with a single of his own to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. But for the third time in five innings, Emanuels worked his way out of trouble. 

The redshirt senior got Elijah Lambros to ground out, ending the threat, game, and series for good.

With their second consecutive Big Ten series loss the Terps now face a long flight back home. They will look to get their offense back in shape on Tuesday, as they face George Mason at 4 p.m. Jack Susanin and Ryan Martin will be on the call for MBN.