Terps Open 2018 Season at Tennessee
2/15/2018 10:24:00 AM | Baseball
at 
LISTEN
GAME NOTES 
TWITTER| MARYLAND TERRAPINS |
|---|
| RECORD: 0-0 COACH: Rob Vaughn (1st season) CAREER RECORD/YEARS: 0-0 RANK: NR (D1) | NR (BA) |
| TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS |
|---|
| RECORD: 0-0 COACH: Tony Vitello (1st season) CAREER RECORD/YEARS: 0-0 RANK: NR (D1) | NR (BA) |
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Maryland baseball team opens its 2018 season this weekend as the Terps travel to Tennessee for a three-game series. The series will mark Maryland's third consecutive season with an early season roadtrip to an SEC opponent.
Setting the stage
Friday, February 16 – 6:00 p.m.
RHP Taylor Bloom (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Zach Linginfelter (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Saturday, March 30 – 1:00 p.m.
LHP Tyler Blohm (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Garrett Stallings (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Sunday, March 30 – 1:00 p.m.
RHP Hunter Parsons (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. TBA
Location: Knoxville, Tenn.Stadium: Lindsey Nelson Stadium
Stream: SEC Network + | Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Radio: Maryland Baseball Network
Live Stats: utsports.com
Twitter: @TerpsBaseball
LEADING IT OFF
• Maryland begins its 2018 season after making its third NCAA Regional in the past four years. The Terps went 38-23 last season, the third most wins in school history.
• Rob Vaughn takes over as head coach for the Terrapins after serving as an assistant for the last fives seasons. Vaughn, at age 30, is the youngest Power Five head coach in the country. 4 Vaughn tabbed former St. John's pitching coach Corey Muscara to head up the Maryland staff this season. Muscara helped the Red Storm boast a 3.11 team ERA last season, the eighth-best in the country.
• Former Maryland player Matt Swope moved from the director of operations role to assistant coach, and will instruct Maryland's hitters. Another former Terp player, Anthony Papio, will serve as the team's volunteer assistant. Former minor leaguer and Maryland prep star Brandon Erbe and former Maryland player Kevin Martir will serve as student assistants.
• Maryland returns five starters from last year's squad, including first-team All-Big Ten selection Marty Costes. who is the team's returning leader in home runs (13), RBIs (46) and hits (77). Costes had a breakthrough summer in the Cape Cod League, where he was selected as an All-League performer and helped the Brewster Whitecapes win the Cape title.
• Nick Dunn was a member of that same Whitecaps team and earned playoff MVP honors on the Cape. Dunn's outstanding performance over the summer, plus his steady play over his first two seasons in College Park, helped him earn preseason All-American honors from Baseball America and Perfect Game.
• Maryland returns two weekend rotation stalwarts in the similarly named Taylor Bloom and Tyler Blohm. Bloom enters his senior season with the ability to become one of the most decorated hurlers in Maryland history, and he went 7-2 with a 3.83 ERA in 2017. Blohm burst onto the scene and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors last season after leading Big Ten freshmen with eight wins and notching a 3.48 ERA. They will look to soften the loss of All-American ace Brian Shaffer.
• Senior sparkplug Zach Jancarski returns for Maryland after starting 58 games in centerfield last season while also providing the Terps with a tablesetter at the top of the order. Jancarski batted .325 last season, led the Terps in doubles with 17 and swiped 20 bags. Jancarski's aggresiveness on the basepaths will be a staple of Maryland's offensive attack. The Terps stole 101 bases last season, which ranked second in the Big Ten.
• AJ Lee was one of Maryland's breakout stars in 2017 and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2017. Lee finished the season with a .307 average and hit eight home runs. He will move from third base to shortstop this season. JUCO transfer Taylor Wright is expected to take over at the hot corner for the Terps.
• Behind the plate, senior Justin Morris will retain his starting role and will give the Terps an established veteran presence. Fellow senior Kevin Biondic, who had an outstanding fall, will start the season for the Terps at first base. Biondic will also see time on the mound.
• Freshman Randy Bednar, a fellow two-way player, is an option to start in the oufield after being drafted in the spring. Maryland's talented freshmen class will see major contributions from infielder Tommy Gardiner, catcher Justin Vought, outfielder Ritchie Schiekofer and RHP Mark DiLuia.
