After lasting five innings in Maryland baseball’s season opener against Campbell, right-hander Hunter Parsons was determined to work deeper into his second outing.
Facing Maine on Friday, Parsons looked more like his 2018 self, carving up the Black Bears over eight shutout innings before coach Rob Vaughn went to his closer in the ninth. The Terps supplied more than enough offense to win, 4-0, in the first half of a doubleheader at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.
Against the Camels, Parsons allowed two runs on four hits and issued three walks. When he exited after 93 pitches, Maryland was still up by three, but the young bullpen fell apart, and Campbell won, 10-6, in extra innings.
His second time around, Parsons was nearly untouchable. He didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning, finishing his day with five strikeouts and allowing just three hits and one walk. The senior used 99 pitches to complete eight innings.
Vaughn was impressed with Maryland’s offense during most of the opening weekend — aside from a two-run showing against No. 21 Coastal Carolina — and the bats got going early against the Black Bears.
In the first inning, right fielder Randy Bednar rocketed a solo home run to center field to put Maryland on the board.
After using the long ball for their first run, the Terps manufactured their next two. In the third inning, left fielder Caleb Walls earned a free pass, Bednar hit a fly ball to advance Walls to second base, and third baseman Taylor Wright brought him home with a first-pitch single up the middle.
Then, in the fourth, shortstop AJ Lee hit a sacrifice fly to score designated hitter Maxwell Costes from third and extend Maryland’s lead to 3-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Maine third baseman Danny Casals overthrew first base on a ground ball from Costes. While the Black Bears scrambled for the ball, catcher Justin Vought took advantage and bolted home from second.
Maryland’s offense fell silent from there, and in the eighth inning, Maine started to threaten. Second baseman Caleb Kerbs and designated hitter Colin Ridley started the frame with singles, and left fielder Jake Roper bunted them over to second and third.
But Vaughn left Parsons in to face the top of the Black Bears lineup. The right-hander struck out center fielder Mike Sabatine on four pitches, then got a groundout from shortstop Jeffrey Omohundro to escape the inning unscathed.
From there, Murphy worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save and deliver the win for the Terps in their home opener.
