COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Sophomore Taylor Bloom tossed a complete game six-hitter, but the Maryland baseball team dropped game two to Bryant, 2-0, at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.

Bloom kept the Terrapins (6-8) in the game throughout in the first complete game of his career. Redshirt freshman Andrew Bechtold led the offense with a pair of hits.

Bryant opened the scoring in the third. Dan Cellucci led off the inning with a double before Cole Fabio singled with one away to put runners on the corners. Matt Albanese then sent a grounder to Kevin Smith that the sophomore mishandled attempting to turn a double play. Cellucci scored on the play to give Bryant a 1-0 lead.

The Terps put runners on in the second, third and fourth with no success before putting forth a major threat in the fifth. Sophomore Kevin Biondic walked before senior Anthony Papio singled to right. After consecutive fly outs, Smith walked to load the bases. Junior Madison Nickens was unable to capitalize, grounding out to first to end the inning.

Maryland attempted to rally in the seventh. Papio walked with one out before Bechtold singled, but sophomore Jamal Wade struck out and Bechtold was forced out at second on a Smith ground ball to end the inning.

In the eighth, back-to-back singles from freshman Nick Dunn and junior Nick Cieri put runners on with one out before a Marty Costes ground out and Kevin Biondic pop fly to short ended the inning.

Bloom gave up a final run in the ninth, but was untouchable for most of the game, at one point retiring 10 straight batters and 16-of-17 in the middle innings. His complete game was the first by a Maryland player since Jake Stinnett tossed one against Notre Dame on May 2, 2014. He has struck out 24 to just two walks on the season.

Maryland and Bryant contest game three of the series Sunday at 1 p.m. The action can be heard live on the Maryland Baseball Network.

– Terps –