The Terps’ offense fired on all cylinders in Sunday’s series finale against Minnesota. With their bats being hot and Omar Melendez only allowing one run over the first five innings, it seemed as if Maryland would coast to its first series sweep of the year.

However, Minnesota didn’t go down easily. With a six-run sixth inning and a three-run eighth inning, the Gophers were only down one entering the ninth. 

Ryan Van Buren was sent out to the mound to record the final three outs. After walking the leadoff batter in the ninth, the winning run in Easton Richter stepped into the batter’s box. In a 1-2 count, Richter launched a fly ball to left field, and it looked like the wind was going to carry the ball beyond the fence. 

But Jacob Orr had just enough room to make the catch on the warning track for the first out of the frame. Van Buren then got the next two outs in much simpler fashion, to secure Maryland’s 11-10 win over the Gophers.

After a scoreless first for both teams, Maryland (26-27, 11-16 Big Ten) put pressure on the Gophers early in the second. 

Minnesota (22-27, 8-19 Big Ten) starter Luke Ryerse loaded the bases with only one out after walking Alex Calarco, Aden Hill, and Paul Jones II. Elijah Lambros capitalized on Ryerse’s command struggles, delivering a two-RBI single to right field, giving the Terps a 2-0 lead. 

The Gophers responded with a run in the bottom of the frame.

Junior Easton Richter led off the inning with a double and stole third base shortly after. He scored after senior Jake Perry hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield. The throw home from Hill was cut off before reaching the plate. 

The Dirty Terps quickly regained their two-run lead as Eddie Hacopian launched a ball over the leftfield wall in the top of the third. 

After another scoreless inning for Terps starter Omar Melendez, Maryland led 3-1. 

The Dirty Terps’ offense extended that advantage in the fourth. 

Hill and Jones, the first two batters of the inning, both walked to reach base. They both moved into scoring position after Lambros laid a sacrifice bunt down the third base side. The Terps pushed their lead to 5-2 in the inning as Hill scored on a wild pitch and Jones was brought home on a Parker Corbin single.

Melendez continued dealing in the fourth, as he also got some help from Lambros, who made a sliding catch in right field — where Lambros has seen more action of late, after manning centerfield for much of the last two seasons. 

Eddie Hacopian reached first to lead off the fifth, after laying down a perfect bunt that stradled the third baseline before bouncing off the bag. The Terps quickly loaded the bases after Gophers reliever Tyler Hemmesch walked Calarco and hit Jacob Orr with a pitch. 

Maryland scored two more from the opportunity as Hill and Jones both delivered RBI groundouts, making it 7-1 in favor of the Terps.

While Melendez continued his stellar start, Minnesota couldn’t escape its pitching struggles.

Eddie Hacopian picked up his third hit and second RBI of the day in the sixth, knocking a run-plating single up the middle. The Terps also added a ninth run after Hill was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. 

But the Gophers made the game competitive as Melendez faded in the bottom of the sixth.

Melendez gave up a two-run homer to junior Drew Berkland, which was immediately followed by a solo home run from junior Weber Neels. Melendez then surrendered a single and a walk — allowing the five straight batters to reach before he was ultimately pulled. 

Maryland Head Coach Matt Swope turned to sophomore right-hander Andrew Koshy to limit any further damage. The sophomore reliever eventually did so, but couldn’t get out of the inning unscathed. 

Koshy surrendered a three-run blast to senior Jake Larson, capping off Minnesota’s six-run frame. Maryland’s once-comfortable 9-1 lead had been reduced to 9-7.

But the Terps flipped the game’s momentum by adding some insurance runs in the top of the eighth.

Eddie Hacopian reached base after recording his fourth hit of the day. Calarco followed suit by recording his fourth walk of the afternoon. Eddie Hacopian later scored on a wild pitch, and Calarco came across on Jones’ RBI double — the freshman’s third extra base hit of his homecoming weekend.

Swope sent right-hander Ryan Van Buren out to the mound to begin the eighth inning.

Maryland again found itself in trouble as Van Buren struggled. He quickly loaded the bases, allowing runners to reach on an error, a fielder’s choice, and a hit by pitch. 

Minnesota followed with a sacrifice fly from junior Kris Hockenson and an RBI single from redshirt senior Josh Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald was later caught stealing when attempting to reach second base. But Sam Hunt, who was on third at the time, scored on the play to record the Gophers’ third run of the inning.

Van Buren returned to the mound to attempt to close out the series sweep.

Van Buren had the close call on Richter’s near home run, but remained composed after the fact by forcing two fielder’s choices for the final two outs. 

Maryland secured its first series sweep of the season with the win. 

The Terps will now shift their focus to their last series of the regular season. They host Rutgers for a three-game set, Thursday through Saturday, with their Big Ten Tournament qualification hopes on the line.