Indiana Baseball Swept at Home, Terrapins Pass Hoosiers For Big Ten Lead

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – What started as a chance to take a commanding lead in the Big Ten ended with disappointment for Indiana.

Coach Jeff Mercer and the Hoosiers held a one-game lead in the Big Ten standings entering their weekend series against Maryland at Bart Kaufman Field, where Indiana was 22-1 this season. But as the weekend progressed, Maryland roughed up the Indiana pitching staff with 43 total runs to sweep the three game series.

With wins of 13-2, 16-2 and 14-8, Maryland jumped Indiana for first place in the Big Ten, while the Hoosiers fell into a three-way tie for third place at 9-6 in conference play. Hosting a regional round as a top-16 seed is unlikely for Indiana at this point, but the Hoosiers remain in good shape for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.

Indiana, still 31-14 overall, doesn't have a midweek game, giving the team close to a full week to rest and reevaluate before next weekend's three-game set at Northwestern, the Big Ten's last-place team at 7-31 overall and 3-12 in conference play.

“I’m humble enough to say, like, ‘We got beat this weekend,’ but I’m very confident that we still have a very good team,” Mercer said. “We just didn’t have a good weekend, and you pick up and move on.”

Maryland's domination started early, and it didn't let up all weekend.

In the series opener on Friday, the Terrapins scored three quick runs, and Indiana starter Seti Manase's day was done after one inning. Brayden Risedorph relieved Manase, first tossing three scoreless innings, but things unraveled in the fifth when Risedorph allowed seven runs on five hits and two batters hit by pitch.

At the plate, Carter Mathison and Tyler Cenry put Indiana on the board with solo home runs, but the Hoosiers left seven runners on base. Maryland starter Nick Dean struck out 10 batters in seven innings of work, allowing both home runs but just five total hits in Maryland's 13-2 win.

Game two followed a similar script, as Maryland jumped out to a two-run lead after two innings. Indiana starter Luke Sinnard allowed a two-run home run in the fourth, and his day was over after allowing his second two-run shot in the sixth. Sinnard finished the day with six innings pitched, 10 hits, six runs, four walks and four strikeouts.

The game spiraled out of control in the eighth inning when Maryland scored on a failed pickoff attempt, followed by eight additional runs, including a Matt Woods grand slam. Indiana reliever Ethan Phillips was credited with seven earned runs as Maryland's 20 hits led to a 16-2 win. Maryland starter Kyle McCoy allowed just one run and five hits in seven innings work.

Indiana's bats came alive in the series finale on Sunday, but pitching remained an issue. After a scoreless first inning, Maryland scored at least one run in the final eight innings, racking up 18 hits. Indiana starter Ryan Kraft entered the game with a 1.33 ERA, but the Terrapins knocked him around with seven hits and five runs in three innings.

After a three-run home run in the third, Devin Taylor hit his team-leading 13th home run in the fifth to tie the game at six run apiece. Two batters later, Mathison continued his productive weekend with an RBI double.

But after taking its first lead of the weekend, Indiana gave it right back after a two-RBI single from Maryland catcher Luke Shliger. Indiana used five relief pitchers on Sunday, and each allowed at least one run in the 14-8 loss.

Following a big missed opportunity at home over the weekend, Indiana will travel to Evanston, Ill. for a three-game series against Northwestern, beginning on Friday at 4 p.m. ET.