CHARLESTON, SC – Senior
Alex Calarco smashed two homers, including a grand slam, and drove in seven runs as the Terps blasted Mercyhurst, 19-1, in their final game of the Swig and Swine College Classic at Detyens Field on Saturday night. The Terps are now 2-1 this season heading into Tuesday's home opener vs. Delaware.
Maryland scored eight runs between the fourth and fifth innings to break the game open, keyed by Calarco's slam, which was Maryland's second slam of the season in the first three games. He then crushed a three-run homer in the sixth inning for his first-career multi-home run game for a career-best seven RBIs. The runs batted in total is the most for a Terp since New York Mets prospect Nick Lorusso drove in eight on May 7, 2023 against Nebraska.
The Terps' pitching was stellar on Saturday night, racking up 15 strikeouts, while scattering five hits. Evan Smith was strong in his season-starting debut on the mound as he tossed four innings, scattering three hits and one run while striking out six Lakers to earn the victory. In relief, Jack Wren tossed three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with a career-high tying six strikeouts in his Terps' debut. Devin Milberg finished the game with five strikeouts in two scoreless innings.
Jordan Crosland launched his first home run of the season, the fourth different Terp to homer on the weekend to start the scoring. Chris Hacopian drove in a pair of runs with an RBI double in the fifth. Calarco (2-for-5), Eddie Hacopian (2-for-5), Brayden Martin (2-for-3) and Hollis Porter (2-for-4) each had multi-hit games for the Terps as Maryland pounded out 14 hits.
The 19 runs are the most since the Terps beat Nebraska in that same game Lorusso had the eight RBIs in a 20-5 win in 2023.
Breaking Down The Action
- Crosland opened the scoring with a homer to left-center in the bottom of the second inning to put the Terps up 1-0.
- Mercyhurst tied the game as Ranciel Vent tripled home Eric Chroba in the top of the third inning.
- The Terps took a 2-1 lead on a pair of errors by Mercyhurst in the bottom of the fourth inning as Alex Calarco, who reached on a towering fly ball that was mishandled, scored on a throwing error on an Elijah Lambros bunt back to the pitcher. The lead expanded to 3-1 as Martin's single to left drove in Crosland.
- Maryland broke open the game as Calarco smashed a grand slam to centerfield in the bottom of the fifth making it 7-1 Terps. Chris Hacopian doubled in brother Eddie and Brayden Martin to give the Terps a 9-1 lead after five.
- Calarco's three-run homer in the seven moved the lead to 12-1.
- Maryland took a 13-1 lead as Eddie Hacopian doubled in Martin in the seventh. Porter then drove in Chris Hacopian for a 14-1 score.
- Paul Jones II drove in two runs, scoring Parker Corbin and Aidan Driscoll in the bottom of the eighth to make it 16-1. Three more runs scored on a fielding error on a fly ball hit by Michael Iannazzo, scoring Dom Moats, Jacob Orr and Jones for the 19-1 final.
Weekend Wrap-Up
- Taking a look back at some of the Terps' top performers on the weekend of three games in Charleston as Maryland scored 28 total runs.
- Alex Calarco went 3-for-11 with all three hits being home runs along with eight RBIs. Calarco has a team-best five runs scored.
- Brayden Martin went 5-for-9 (.556) on the weekend with four runs scored.
- Eddie Hacopian went 5-for-14 (.357) with three RBIs.
- Chris Hacopian had six RBI in the three games.
- The Terps' pitching staff allowed just six earned runs in 26 innings for a 2.08 ERA.
- The Terps' starters of Kyle McCoy, Joey McMannis and Evan Smith combined for 12 innings with just two earned runs allowed for a 1.50 ERA with 16 strikeouts.
- Maryland's pitching staff had 34 strikeouts and just 10 walks allowed in the three games.
Terrapin Debuts
- Transfers Jack Wren (Marist) and Devin Milberg (Dartmouth) made their Terrapin pitching debuts in relief.
- Freshmen Paul Jones II (first base), Parker Corbin (second base), Colin Gibbs (third base), Dom Moats (rightfield) all made their collegiate debuts, coming in the eighth inning as defensive replacements.
- Aidan Driscoll made his debut as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth inning, and picked up a single. He went in to play leftfield in the ninth.
- Jones then drove in Driscoll and Corbin with a single to left in his first college at bat.
- Corbin and Moats each drew walks in their first college at bats.
- Jacob Hauk also made his debut as a pinch hitter in the eighth. Hauk caught the ninth inning.
Numbers To Know
- 1: Hollis Porter had his first multi-hit game as a Terp.
- 2: Alex Calarco hit his second home run in as many games, both on Saturday.
- 2: The Terps now have hit two grand slams in the first three games.
- 3: Calarco had a career-high tying three runs scored. He did it twice at Northwestern in 2013.
- 3: Crosland has been hit by a pitch in each of the first three games.
- 4: Jordan Crosland homered for the fourth time in his career with a second-inning bomb.
- 6: The Terps launched six home runs over the three games on the weekend.
- 6: Smith and Wren each struck out six batters.
- 7: Calarco set his career-high with seven RBI, the most for a Terp in any game since Nick Lorusso had eight on May 7, 2023.
- 8: Eight Terps made their Maryland debuts in the win.
- 12: Chris Hacopian posted his 12th game with multiple RBIs.
- 15: Calarco has 15 home runs in his career, including seven as a Terp with three this season.
- 18: Martin has 18 multi-hit games in his career.
- 25: Calarco now has 25 multi-hit games in his career.
- 52: Eddie Hacopian recorded his 52nd multi-hit game as a Terp.
Up Next
- Maryland will play its home opener against Delaware on Feb. 18 at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium at 4 p.m. The game will be aired on Big Ten Plus and Maryland Baseball Network.
