A Friday night win for Maryland baseball gave the group its first chance to close out a series on Saturday. But the Terps lost control of the Saturday game, forcing an all too familiar Sunday rubber match. 

Maryland, ranked 15th in conference, was looking for just its second Big Ten series win. The Spartans sit at 12th place, just inside the line for postseason qualification.

After the second inning, Maryland barely stood a chance at a win. The single-inning collapse by the Terps (21-23, 6-15 B1G) gave up nine runs on seven hits and doomed the group in their 13-1 loss to the Spartans (16-25, 10-14 B1G) in seven innings at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium.

Nic Morlang earned his second start on the mound within four games. The Terps typically turn to the right-hander for midweek matchups.

His first five pitches were balls as Morlang struggled to find his footing early. After walking the first batter, Spartans senior Noah Bright went yard to score Michigan State’s first two runs. 

His day ended quickly after allowing three runs on three hits and only recording two outs. Jake Yeager, Maryland’s former Sunday starter, took over at the helm. The sophomore struck out the first batter he faced to end the inning. 

The high was short-lived before a nightmare second inning.

Yeager recorded the first out swiftly, forcing a pop-up to third base. Then Isaac Sturgess got the Spartans’ nine-run, seven-hit inning started with a double to left center. 

Then Bright was back up. He got another hit, this time a single, to score Sturgess. The next two batters also made solid contact and reached base for four straight Michigan State hits.

As hits racked up, Yeager continued to struggle. The righty threw a wild pitch that cut left of catcher Franklin Pichardo Jr.’s glove. Bright scored at home with ease on the mispitch, and Yeager walked the next batter to reload the bases.

The most critical shot to the Terps came from Ryan McKay. The junior smashed his second home run of the season over the right field fence for a grand slam. 

The long ball didn’t end Yeager’s day then. Swope came out to talk to his pitcher before leaving the Maryland native to fend it out longer.

Yeager allowed another hit and struck a batter before Swope retired the righty. Ryan Bailey took over at the mound, still with just one out.

He gave up a homer to his first batter faced to score another three runs before retiring batters for the last two outs.

Maryland added its only run of the game in the fifth inning when Ty Kaunas hit a solo home run into left field. Michigan State immediately responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring a runner off a single. 

Bailey threw for two innings, earning just two hits and a run. Lance Williams took over to close out the final 2.2 innings. He allowed a pair of hits and a run.

Maryland’s season-long pitching struggles have been elevated on Sundays as the group still looks to find its ace to close out weekends. 

But the overall rotation is having issues. Logan Hastings is the only Terp pitcher who has thrown more than 10 innings and has a sub-five ERA. 

Maryland’s team-wide 7.06 ERA ranks 15th amongst the Big Ten, better than just Penn State and Northwestern. Finding an answer at the helm for Sundays will be key if the Terps want to make a late push for the Big Ten tournament.

Maryland has a get-right game at Georgetown on Tuesday before hosting Michigan for a crucial conference series to open May. The game against the Hoyas is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start with Ryan Martin on the call for MBN.