Maryland baseball’s postseason hopes dwindle after falling to Penn State in extra innings, 6-5

The Terps loaded the bases in extra innings, but couldn’t score a run.

It all went down in extra innings on Friday at “The Bob.”

Maryland baseball’s Kenny Lippman returned to the mound for the 10th inning and hit his first batter before following it up with a fly out. Lippman then faced Penn State’s Tayven Kelley, nearly getting a strikeout on a foul-tip; however, the umpire ruled the ball hit the dirt.

This is where chaos ensued.

Kelly proceeded to hit a two-run double and head coach Matt Swope was subsequently tossed from the game while attempting to make a pitching change.

Then, Logan Berrier entered the game and the Nittany Lions scored after Chris Hacopian’s throw was off-line and Devin Russell did not make an effort to tag the runner out.

Penn State held a one-run lead heading into the bottom of the 10th inning.

To start the half inning, Chris Hacopian got plunked, followed by a Sam Hojnar pop-out. Then, Kevin Keister norrowly beat out a double play and Jacob Orr hit a ball off the shortstop’s glove. Still alive, the Terps pinch hit Jordan Crosland for Michael Iannazzo, who walked on four pitches.

Finally, the bases were loaded. However, Russell was struck out by Mason Horwat on four pitches, chasing the final strike to end the ball game in a 6-5 loss.

Maryland’s Big Ten Tournament hopes now hang in the balance. The Terps need a miracle to find themselves in postseason play.

Penn State jumped on Maryland starter Logan Koester early in the first inning in his final regular season start. The Nittany Lions’ first three hitters got on base and a Koester wild pitch brought in Joe Jaconski. Then, a second Penn State run came in when Bryce Molinaro grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Hojnar got Maryland on the scoreboard in a fitting way on Senior Day, hitting an opposite-field solo home run. He also brought in the second run on an error, as a 106 mile-per-hour hot-shot got past the second baseman and Brayden Martin came in to score.

In the fourth inning, Molinaro hit a solo home run, but Maryland struck right back in the same inning, as Russell hit a solo home run to tie the game back up.

As good as Koester had been all day at controlling damage, he allowed Penn State to capture the lead again in the fifth inning, as J.T. Marr hit an RBI groundout.

The contest began going back-and-forth, as Hojnar gave Maryland the lead in the bottom of the fifth with his second home run. It was a two-run, 106 mile-per-hour shot that went 425 feet, marking his fourth multi-home run game of the season.

Then Penn State’s Kevin Michaels scored on a throwing error by Hojnar, tying the game in the seventh inning. Eddie Hacopian was shaken up on the play, but remained in the game.

Koester went 6 ⅔ innings, gave up 10 hits, five runs — four of which were earned — and two walks and struck out five batters, which tied his season-high.

After two scoreless innings forced extras, one run in the 10th inning was all that was needed to earn the victory.

Three things to know

1. A miracle is necessary. After losses in game one and two, the Terps will need a lot of help in order to make the Big Ten Tournament. Penn State will get in over Maryland, which means Ohio State and Michigan State need to lose out and Minnesota must lose one of its last two games.

2. Swope ejected. Swope got ejected from the first game of the doubleheader in the 10th inning. The Terps had the bases loaded and failed to tie the game up. Not having Swope loomed large.

3. Hojnar’s two home runs. Hojnar hit two home runs and drove in three runs on Senior Day. He was Maryland’s main offensive weapon in game one.

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