CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Alabama State University baseball team concluded its season-opening weekend on Sunday as the Hornets nearly rallied from a six-run deficit in the ninth inning, but fell to No. 22 Maryland, 9-7, at Spectrum Field.
 
"We took an early lead and some mishaps in the middle innings caused us to fall behind, but the guys didn't give up and we had strong comeback, but it just happened to fall short," Alabama State head coach Jose' Vazquez said. "On that note, I really love a lot of things about this team and what they showed me. Now it's just about fixing some of the little issues to get us right back on track for this upcoming week."
 
The Hornets (0-3) finished with 10 hits, including 2-for-4 performances by Diandre Amion and Hunter Phillips. Carlos Ocasio, Gustavo Rios, Chris Biocic, Cage Cox, Joseph Estrada and Eriq White each had one.
 
Terrell McCall (0-1) took the loss on the mound for the Hornets. He pitched 3.1 innings and surrendered six runs (four earned) on five hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. Ivanniel Vazquez, Chase Laney and Darren Kelly worked in relief.
 
Much like Alabama State did the day before against Ball State, the Hornets struck first on Sunday against the Terps with three runs in the top of the second.
 
Ray Hernandez drew a walk to begin the frame and advanced to third on a Rios double to center. Phillips scored Hernandez and Rios with a base hit to left. Biocic followed with a single to right as Phillips was out at second on the play. White reached on an error, allowing Biocic to take second. Both runners advanced on a balk and with two down, Cage Cox walked to load the bases. Biocic scored on a wild pitch and Amion flied out to center to end the Hornet inning.
 
Maryland (3-0) plated a run in the bottom of the inning as Nick Cieri was hit by a pitch and Will Watson walked. Both advanced on a sacrifice bunt and Cieri scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Dan Maynard.
 
The Terps continued to trim away at the Alabama State lead by scoring a run in the third as Marty Costes roped a two-out triple and scored on a Brandon Gum single to left.
 
Maryland broke the game open in the bottom half of the fourth, scoring six runs on five hits and took advantage of an Alabama State error to grab an 8-3 lead.
 
The Terps added to the lead with a run in the eighth to push the lead to 9-3.
 
Alabama State tried to rally in the ninth as the Hornets scored four runs on four hits.
 
Edgardo Rivera walked to begin the frame and advanced to third on a Phillips single down the left-field line. Nate Gerard walked to load the bases. Rivera scored on a wild pitch as Phillips and Patrick Coffin, who pinch ran for Gerard, moved up a base. White doubled to left to plate Phillips and Coffin, to trim the deficit to 9-6. Estrada followed with a single to center to advance White to third.
 
Still with no outs in the inning, Cox singled to right to score White as Estrada moved up to second. Amion grounded out to the pitcher with a sacrifice bunt for the first out as the runners moved up a base. After a pitching change, Ocasio struck out and Hernandez grounded out to the shortstop to end the game.
 
Costes led the Terps offense by going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Cieri went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored, while Maynard was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and one run scored as Maryland pounded out 12 hits.
 
Tyler Blohm (1-0) picked up the win in 5.0 innings. He gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits, with two walks and four strikeouts. Ryan Selmer, Mike Rescigno and Tayler Stiles worked in relief. Andrew Miller earned his first save as he pitched 0.2 innings with a strikeout.
 
Alabama State wraps up its four-game season-opening road swing at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Regions Field in Birmingham, Ala., against UAB. The Hornets return to the friendly confines of Wheeler-Watkins Field for their home opener on Wednesday, Feb 22 against UAB.
 
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