Maryland baseball’s fall ball schedule opened with a clean sweep Saturday, as the Dirty Terps took two games from Towson and showed plenty of early October promise.
The opener was the tighter of the two contests, with Maryland edging Towson 5-4. Towson grabbed a two-run lead in the third inning, but the Terps answered and drew even not long after.
From there, the game turned into a back-and-forth stretch of single runs before first baseman Charley Magoulick, a Rider transfer, delivered the finish. In the bottom of the eighth inning, he brought David Mendez home for the game-winner.
Game two followed quickly, starting less than half an hour after the first one ended, and Maryland wasted no time seizing control. The Terps scored one run in the first inning, two more in the second and then piled on three in the third to build a comfortable advantage. By the time the game was called after seven innings, Maryland was in front 9-0.
The Dirty Terps will be back at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium on Oct. 18 for another doubleheader, this time against Georgetown.
Elsewhere around Maryland athletics, men’s basketball opened its exhibition slate with an 85-70 win over Georgia Tech. Maryland football dropped to 2-4 after a 45-16 loss at No.
5 Ohio State. Women’s soccer picked up its first Big Ten win of the season by beating Northwestern, and volleyball also took down Northwestern in five sets for its second conference win.
In Other News...
Ohio State Faces A Bigger Test Than Fans Might Think
Maryland fans watching from the side may take comfort in the fact that Ohio State still has a little lineup uncertainty heading into its next Big Ten test. Ryan Day said the Buckeyes are expecting a good portion of the five starters it held out against Maryland to return for Indiana, a useful development as the schedule tightens and the opponent gets more demanding. Curt Cignetti, meanwhile, has already framed Indianas preparation around the challenge of matching Ohio States pace and physicality, with the Hoosiers getting ready for a game that will say plenty about where they stand.
Jeremiah Smith remains the matchup everyone circles first for Ohio State, but Indianas defensive readiness is part of what makes this feel more than a routine checkpoint. The Hoosiers are aiming to keep their own momentum rolling and have no intention of being intimidated by the setting or the stakes, which is why this game carries the feel of a bigger test than some around Columbus might want to admit. If Ohio State is indeed closer to full strength, this should still be one of the conference games that reveals the most about both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Fans Got An Encouraging First Look At Buzz Williams' Team
Marylands first public look at Buzz Williams team offered plenty for fans to like in an 85-70 exhibition win over Georgia Tech at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. The Terps played with noticeable energy on the defensive end and on the glass, and the early returns suggested a roster that can lean on more depth than last seasons group. Payne was especially active, scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds, while Kaden House added 14 points off the bench to give Maryland a useful boost beyond its starters.
The encouraging start also came with a reminder that exhibitions are as much about evaluation as results, especially with incoming pieces and the 2026 class still part of the bigger picture for this program. Maryland looked capable of defending and rebounding at a higher level, but the evening did not come without concern, as one of the Terps rotation pieces had to leave early with a leg issue that will bear watching as the schedule gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland May Have Found The Two Things That Change Everything
Pharrel Paynes return gave Maryland a jolt it has been missing for months, and the big man wasted little time making his presence felt in game action after the leg injury that ended his season in December. In just 20 minutes, he delivered 16 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists, while freshman Kaden House added 14 points and flashed the kind of defensive upside that can matter as the schedule tightens.
The bigger development, though, may have been the tone on that end of the floor. Maryland looked more aggressive, forcing 13 steals and turning those takeaways into 22 points off turnovers, a sign the Terps may finally have found some much-needed disruption. Still, the second half showed there is plenty to clean up, with the defense slipping enough to keep the performance from feeling like a full breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]