The Terps came into Tuesday’s match vs Towson 9-3 in midweek games, outscoring their opponents 142-76. That trend of offensive power in midweeks continued as the Terps scored early and often, resulting in season-highs in both runs (23) and walks (22) and a final score of 23-11.

Early grand slams from both Bud Coombs and Ryan Costello put the Terps up early and they never looked back. They had constant pressure on the basepaths, including bases-loaded situations in six of the eight innings played. This gave Maryland their tenth midweek victory of the season, improving their record to 23-26.

Neither starting pitcher lasted very long in this one. Towson starter Jake Michel failed to record an out in the second inning, giving up eight runs, while Maryland starter Nic Morlang lasted 1.2 innings, letting up five runs.

The Terps offense got started right away, despite Michael recording two quick outs to start the game. Back to back walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases before Bud Coombs took advantage of a mistake from Michel. The freshman crushed his fifth home run of the season, this one a grand slam, giving the Terps a 4-0 early lead.

While that was the end of the Terps offense in the first, they picked it up again in the second. They quickly loaded the bases again before Brayden Martin walked in the Terps fifth run of the game.

Towson coach Matt Tyner relieved Michel for reliever Vincent Salvo following the fifth Maryland run.

Ryan Costello then broke out of his recent slump, crushing the second Terps grand slam of the game, his 15th of the season and his first long ball since April 21st against Mount St. Mary’s. This homer extended the Terps lead to 9-0, but they weren’t done yet. David Mendez then crushed a home run, going back to back with Costello. By the end of the top of the second, it was already 10-0 Maryland. 

Luckily for Morlang, he had that giant lead, as he gave up five runs in the bottom of the second. The Tigers mounted back to back singles to start the frame, followed by a wild pitch that scored Keldrin Rodriguez. 

Frank Adamski Jr, AJ Kolb and Nich Franchuzenko all singled in a combined four runs before Maryland head coach Matt Swope relieved Morlang of his duties with Ryan Bailey, who got out of the inning with no further damage.

The Terps scored another two runs in the third inning off of new Tiger pitcher Ben Nugent. Costello came inches away from his second grand slam of the game, but settled for a sacrifice fly. Paul Jones II then singled in Jordan Crossland to extend Maryland’s lead back to seven. After three it was 12-5 Terps.

Towson got those two runs back in the bottom of the fourth as Brady Nathison doubled a pair home. The Terps led by five heading into the fifth.

Maryland proceeded to load the bases for the fourth time in five innings. Martin scored on a balk by Tiger reliever Nick Karls to make it 13-7. Karls did a great job at avoiding any further damage after the balk, escaping the bases loaded jam.

Coach Swope went back to his bullpen for the fifth, bringing in Jake Yeager. He got a quick out before allowing a solo home run to Josh Janove. Yeager then allowed a single and two walks to load the bases. This prompted another pitching change as James Gladden entered the game, inheriting the bases loaded situation.

Gladden was able to escape the inning, but not before two wild pitches brought another two Towson runners across in Coy Allman and Ethan Brand. After five innings, the Terps lead was their smallest of the game, 13-10.

The Terps once again loaded the bases in the sixth. David Mendez walked in Devin Russell, which was followed by a Jones II single to score Martin. Coombs walked again, scoring Costello, thus ending Karls’ day on the mound.

Cam Nebel, making his season debut for the Tigers, relieved Karls, and inherited the bases still loaded with just one out. He walked Aden Hill, who pinch hit for Hawton-Henley, scoring Mendez. Following the third bases-loaded walk of the inning, a Russell fly out ended the frame with a 17-10 Maryland lead.

In the bottom of the sixth Gladden escaped a bases-loaded situation with no damage, but he got some help from his defense. Janove singled, causing Francuzenko, who had walked earlier in the inning, to attempt to go from second to home. However, he got thrown out at the plate on a beautiful one-hop throw from Crossland in left.

A Costello SAC fly extended the Terps lead to eight before they loaded the bases again on a single and two walks. This prompted another Towson pitching change. Gavin Metrick relieved Nebel. He gave up walks to Ty Kaunas and Aden Hill resulting in Maryland’s 19th and 20th runs of the game before escaping the jam.

Landon Edwards relieved Gladden and immediately surrendered a solo home run to Brand, which cut Maryland’s lead to 20-11.

In the eighth, Crossland got things started with a single and his third stolen base of the game before advancing to third on a Martin ground out. Costello hit his third SAC fly of the game, tying Maryland’s season high in runs with 21. 

Mendez doubled down the left field line before the Terps created a new season high in runs with a Jones RBI double. 

The rally continued with a Coombs walk and a Colin Gibbs single that brought Jones home. Metrick finally escaped the inning, but the Maryland lead had already been extended to 12.

Lance Williams entered the game in the eighth inning and worked around a two-out single by Janove. With the 12 run lead, the game ended in mercy rule. Maryland secured a 23-11 victory in eight innings over the Towson Tigers.

Maryland will be back in action in Piscataway, New Jersey this weekend to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Ryan Martin will have the call with first pitch of the Friday night matchup at 6 p.m.