COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Maryland baseball team opens Big Ten play with a three-game series against Michigan at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium this weekend.
Coverage of game three can be seen on BTN Plus ($) via BTN2Go and all three games can be heard on the Maryland Baseball Network. Game two will be shown nationally on BTN.
LEADING IT OFF
• Maryland has won 12 of its last 14 games heading into its first conference series of the season against Michigan at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium this weekend. The Terps are 8-0 at home and are outscoring opponents 52-18 at “The Bob”.
• Maryland and Michigan have met once in a series as Big Ten foes, a 2015 series in Ann Arbor in which the Wolverines won two of three games. Michigan is coached by former Maryland skipper Erik Bakich, who spent three seasons in College Park from 2010-2012.
• That same 2015 season, Maryland and Michigan met in the Big Ten Tournament championship game, won by Michigan 4-3. Maryland Saturday starter Taylor Bloom, shortstop Kevin Smith, first baseman Kevin Biondic and student assistant coach Anthony Papio started that game.
• Maryland has seen a huge jump on the base paths this season with 44 steals in 20 games after 28 in all 57 games last year. The Terps rank fifth in the country in steals per game (2.20).
• Maryland picked up two more Big Ten weekly honors this week, as junior RHP Brian Shaffer was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week and freshman LHP Tyler Blohm was honored as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week. Shaffer struck out 10 over eight shutout innings against Princeton, while Blohm set a new career-highs in innings pitched (7.0) and strikeouts (8) in his Sunday outing against the Tigers.
• Junior RHP Taylor Bloom has been outstanding since some early season struggles. He boasts a 1.31 ERA in 20.2 IP over his last three starts and has earned the decision in each game.
• Preseason All-American shortstop Kevin Smith has come alive since his opening two weekend struggles. Over Maryland's last 14 games, Smith leads Maryland in average (.346), home runs (5), doubles (5), slugging (.731) and RBIs (16).
• The sophomore edition of the #MartyParty has been better than its debut, as Marty Costes leads Maryland in average, slugging and hits. Costes has also made a seamless transition to right field.
• The 2017 season is head coach John Szefc's fifth season in College Park. Szefc has led the Terps to four straight 30-win seasons and two NCAA Super Regional appearances, both program firsts. He became the fastest coach in Maryland history to win 150 games when the Terps topped Bryant in game one of a doubleheader on 3/12.
• The Terps topped the Big Ten preseason coaches poll while D1Baseball, Perfect Game and Baseball America named Maryland the Big Ten favorites for the 2017 season. It is the third straight year D1Baseball has tabbed the Terps its Big Ten preseason frontrunner.
Weekend Pitching Match-Ups
| Game | Maryland | Bryant |
|---|
| Friday |
RHP-Brian Shaffer, Jr. (2-1, 1.65, 38 K) |
LHP-Oliver Jaskie, Jr. (3-0, 2.60, 32 K) |
| Saturday |
RHP-Taylor Bloom, Jr. (3-2, 3.86, 17 K) |
RHP-Ryan Nutof, Jr. (1-1, 6.48, 25 K) |
| Sunday |
LHP-Tyler Blohm, Fr. (4-1, 1.78, 26 K) |
LHP-Michael Hendrickson, Jr. (1-0, 3.18, 20 K) |
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