Maryland Baseball Opens Season With Home Win Over Georgetown
Maryland baseball impressively celebrated its home opener Tuesday night at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium. The Terps exploded on the field for nine runs in the fifth inning to cruise to a 16-3 victory over Georgetown. With the win, Maryland improved to 3-1 on the season, showing off a balanced offense that featured timely hitting and strong pitching.
Freshman shortstop Ty Kaunas was the standout performer in his home debut. He drove in four runs with two doubles, including a key two-RBI hit in the fifth inning that helped break the game open. Eight different Terps scored, and the team collected 14 hits while fully capitalizing on five Georgetown errors.
Terps’ Fifth Innings Secure The Game
The Terps got on the board early. Brayden Martin led off the bottom of the first with a triple off the right field wall. Kaunas followed with a double to center to give Maryland a 1-0 lead.
Georgetown tied the game in the second with a sacrifice fly and took the lead on a solo home run. But Maryland's pitching settled in after that. Landon Edwards made his first start as a Terp and delivered a solid first inning.
Terps Win! Maryland Baseball wins their home-opener, and moves to 3-1 on the season after beating Georgetown 16-3 🐢 pic.twitter.com/GnwTchzZ2C
— Inside Maryland Sports (@Terrapins247) February 18, 2026
Brayden Ryan took over in the third and was dominant, throwing four scoreless innings with three strikeouts, including his 100th career strikeout. Ryan retired the first 10 batters he faced and earned his first win of the season.
The fifth inning was the turning point. The Terps sent 13 batters to the plate, collecting five hits and benefiting from four walks and errors by the Hoyas. Kaunas delivered a two-RBI double, Ryan Costello crushed a two-run homer, and three more runs scored on free passes and a two-base error. By the end of the inning, Maryland led 11-2.
The Terps added more insurance later. Antonio Morales launched a 394-foot solo homer to center in the seventh, and Kaunas continued his strong night with another RBI. Paul Jones II and Martin added runs in the eighth to make it 16-3.
Head coach Matt Swope was pleased with the complete performance. "It was pretty dominant all around. We had pitching, defense, and timely hitting," Swope said. "We won the free base battle, which we talk about all the time."
Kaunas credited the team's approach. "We all got hits in timely situations. We stacked quality at-bats in every inning," he said.
The victory marked Maryland's 66th all-time win over Georgetown, improving the series record. It was also the second home opener win in the last three years for the Terps.
Several freshmen made their mark. Jayson Torres pitched the ninth in his Maryland debut, while Nate Hawton-Henley and Franklin Pichardo Jr. saw their first collegiate action.
Looking ahead, Maryland heads back on the road for a three-game series against Louisiana starting Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
The Terps showed they can put together complete games with big offensive outbursts and solid pitching. As the season progresses, maintaining that consistency will be key for Swope's squad.
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Rituraj Halder is a football junkie. He covers everything from clutch game-day moments to the stories that offer a glimpse into the locker room. Over the years, he’s written for outlets like Pro Sports and Football Network, Esports on Sports Illustrated, Sportskeeda, and EssentiallySports, carving out a voice that blends sharp analysis with genuine passion. Whether it’s breaking down a Big Ten rivalry, highlighting rising stars, or capturing the emotion that fuels the game, Rituraj writes football the way fans feel it: loud, proud, and all in.