Maryland baseball sweeps doubleheader at Charlotte to win weekend series

After losing Friday’s series opener, the Terps bounced back in a big way on Sunday.

Maryland baseball jumped ahead early and piled on late in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader, defeating Charlotte, 13-2.

Maryland had a four-run second inning, kicked off by a Chris Hacopian solo home run, his first of two blasts on the afternoon. Devin Russell then hit an RBI single before Charlotte starter Cameron Hansen walked and hit batters with the bases loaded to bring in two more runs.

In the third, Elijah Lambros extended the lead to six with his first home run of the season, a two-run blast. The Terps continued their home run barrage in the top of the eighth when Eddie Hacopian matched his brother with a no-doubt blast over the left-field fence.

In the top of the ninth, Maryland added two more home runs. Chris Hacopian launched a three-run shot to extend Maryland’s lead to 10, which was followed up by a solo blast from Alex Calarco.

On the mound, Maryland once again received a stellar performance from Logan Koester. In six innings of work, he surrendered two runs on five hits while striking out five. Koester has given up just seven combined runs across 22 innings in four starts this season.

Nate Haberthier came in for Koester in the seventh and made quick work of the 49ers. In the eighth, he worked around a bases-loaded jam before ultimately recording the save.

Terps rally to win game two

Maryland fought back to win a tight second game of the doubleheader, 3-2, to take its three-game set at Charlotte.

Despite taking the lead on a third-inning RBI single by Brayden Martin, the Terps fell behind in the fourth inning due to a multitude of errors. Eddie Hacopian dropped a routine fly ball in left field, then Charlotte’s Brandon Stahlman hit an RBI single. The 49ers took the lead when Shane Taylor hit a single to left, which Eddie Hacopian bobbled, allowing Brandon Stahlman to score.

But in the sixth inning, the Terps fought back, able to plate two runs to take the lead. Maryland tied the score with a Kevin Keister RBI single and took the lead shortly after when Lambros hit an RBI single of his own.

Joey McMannis started the second game of the doubleheader for Maryland and began his day with three scoreless innings. He then faced a difficult fourth inning, though, and was unable to get an out in the frame. Charged with one earned run, McMannis gave up four hits, one walk and struck out two.

Logan Berrier relieved McMannis in the fourth and worked out of an inherited jam. He was entirely dominant, ultimately heading back to the mound for the ninth inning and closing the game.

Three things to know

1. Hacopian power. In game one of the doubleheader, the Hacopian brothers accounted for three of Maryland’s five home runs.

2. Leaving runners on base. The Terps stranded a total of 19 runners on base over Sunday’s two games, continuing a concerning trend this season.

3. Dominant pitching. Maryland’s pitching staff allowed only four runs Sunday in 16 innings of baseball. After giving up nine runs to the 49ers on Friday, Maryland bounced back in a big way.

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