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Maryland baseball failed to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament for a third straight season after finishing with a 27-29 overall record and going 9-21 in Big Ten play.
Head coach Matt Swope said that it was a “disappointing season” leaving “no confidence” heading into the offseason.
“I am happy with the way we finished,” Swope said following the Terps’ final series of the season against Penn State. Maryland won the series its second Big Ten series win of 2026 by taking the last two contests against the Nittany Lions, knocking them out of postseason contention as a bonus.
“I think if you look at today and yesterday, [that’s] kind of what we hoped would be every weekend,” Swope said after the Terps’ final victory on May 16. “It does nothing for next season, but at the same time, they finished off for the seniors and everything.”
Nonconference play
Maryland went 18-8 in nonconference play, a record fueled by success in midweek games. The Terps went 11-3 in those games, earning multiple wins against local rivals Towson, Georgetown and Delaware.
Maryland fell in its first sweep against Louisiana in late February, where a 15-inning game ended with a walk-off RBI single. Just one weekend later, the Terps completed their sole winning sweep of the year against Wagner. After a dogfight in the first game, the Terps exploded, totalling 35 runs in the last two games of the series.
The three losses the Terps did face during midweek matchups were against some of their most challenging opponents — then-No. 22 West Virginia, then-No. 9 Virginia and Richmond. While they were blown out by the two ranked midweek opponents, the Terps kept the game close against Richmond, only falling 7-5.
Big Ten play
“Run rule” was the phrase of the season for the Terps in conference play. In Big Ten baseball, games automatically end after seven full innings if one team leads by at least 10 runs. In the 21 losses Maryland logged during its 30-game conference slate, the Terps lost as many games via the run rule as they won overall (nine). Maryland had just two series victories, which came against Indiana and Penn State.
The Terps’ first Big Ten series began March 15 against Purdue. They dropped the first two games before coming out with a close series finale victory to avoid the sweep.
In their next series, Maryland faced the nation’s best in No. 1 UCLA. The Bruins dominated the Terps in a series sweep – with two of the games wrapping in seven innings. Right-handed sophomore pitcher Cristofer Cespedes stood out during the second loss of the series, throwing seven strikeouts and holding the Bruins to one run in his four innings. His performance saved Maryland from being run-ruled for the third straight game.
To finish March, Maryland faced USC, where it fell by one run in the series opener and took a 6-4 victory in game two. USC defeated the Terps in eight innings in a run-rule-shortened rubber match, 14-4.
The following weekend, Maryland was swept by Ohio State, bringing in 20 runs compared to the Buckeyes’ 31. Redshirt freshman Ryan Costello had a big weekend, launching his second grand slam of the year and adding a solo blast for his 13th home run of the season. He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team along with Bud Coombs and Ty Kaunas.
Maryland found redemption in its subsequent Big Ten series. Despite falling to Indiana 11-3 on Friday, it quickly found redemption against the Hoosiers.
Sophomore left-hander Logan Hastings pitched the entirety of Maryland’s Saturday win, throwing five strikeouts and only allowing one walk. The offense supported that showing, knocking eight doubles and drawing 10 walks in a 14-4, seven-inning victory.
The next day, catcher Devin Russell knocked a walk-off grand slam over the center field wall to give Maryland an 8-6 win and its first Big Ten series victory of the year.
Maryland failed to win its next four series matchups, earning just three weekend victories over that stretch. Five of the nine losses the Terps recorded ended before the ninth inning.
Maryland’s final series of the season opened with a run-rule loss to Penn State, but the Terps found revenge the very next day with a 12-2, seven-inning victory.
The rubber match finished 6-4, complete with Lance Williams’ 69th strikeout of the year in the top of the ninth inning. Williams took over the mound after Hastings punched out a career-high 12 batters in his 97 pitches. Russell smashed two of Maryland’s three home runs, aiding the season-ending victory.
Looking ahead
Maryland’s roster has already seen costly departures come just days into the offseason. Ten players have announced they will leave once the transfer portal officially opens on June 1. Russell, Cespedes, outfielder Jordan Crosland and first baseman Paul Jones II are the notable names already gone. It’s possible that others will follow suit.
“There’s always going to be changes and things for different reasons,” Swope said. “That’s the volatility of the portal.”
Russell is likely the most significant exit from the Terps so far. The New Jersey native notched 54 RBIs and 11 home runs over three seasons. Russell became a vital part of Maryland’s offensive success late in the season, launching four home runs in the series against Penn State.
Some veteran Terps are looking towards the MLB Draft in July. Swope has confidence that junior utility Brayden Martin will be successful at the next level if he opts to declare, citing his program record in walks and on-base success. He also earned a postseason nod, being named to the All-Big Ten third team.
“That’s something that’s going to give him a chance to play professional baseball,” he said. “That’s God-given talent.”
Swope has two seasons left on his contract, and it seems that he will continue as head coach next season. As he finishes his third straight season without a postseason appearance, Swope will need a busy offseason to return the program to its former heights.
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