COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Sophomore right-handed pitcher Taylor Bloom struck out nine over seven innings, but the Maryland baseball team fell, 2-1, to Rhode Island Saturday afternoon.
The Terrapins (2-3) were limited by Ram left hander Tyler Wilson who went seven innings to pick up the win. Sophomore Kevin Smith picked up Maryland's lone RBI.
The Rams took the lead in the top of the first. Connor Foreman reached on a single before advancing to second on an error. Martin Figueroa's drive to second was then mishandled by Madison Nickens in center field, allowing Forman to score.
Maryland tied the game in the third. Freshman Nick Dunn reached second after Figureroa air mailed a throw to first on a ground ball. Smith then blooped one into right field that was lost in the sun by the Mike Foley and dropped for a double, plating Dunn.
Rhode Island grabbed the lead back in the fourth inning. Olmo doubled to center field before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt. Olmo then scroed on a Matt O'Neil single.
Junior Nick Cieri gave the Terps a spark in the fourth with a double to right to lead off the inning. After a sacrifice bunt from Andrew Bechtold moved him over, Anthony Papio was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners with one out. The runners were stranded after Jamal Wade popped up and Marty Costes flied out.
Freshman Dan Maynard tried to spark a two-out rally in the seventh with a pinch-hit single. Dunn was then hit by a pitch, which advanced Kengo Kawahara, who was in to pinch run for Maynard, to second.
Smith looked to have homered down the right field line, but the ball was called foul. He then struck out looking to end the inning.
Bloom hit his stride after the fourth, keeping the Terps within one run. He set career highs in innings pitched (7.0) and strikeouts (9).
The Terps' final rally came in the eighth. Nickens was hit by a pitch before advancing to second on a Cieri groundout. Nickens remained on second as Bechtold grounded out and Papio struck out to end the inning.
Mike Rescigno pitched one and a third scoreless innings.
Maryland returns to action tomorrow in the rubber game against the Rams. Sophomore Brian Shaffer will be on the mound with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. Fans can watch live on BTN Plus ($) or listen on the Maryland Baseball Network.
– Terps –
