Ohio State baseball shut out by Maryland, 3-0

Ohio State ran into a buzzsaw named Taylor Bloom on Friday afternoon in College Park, as the Maryland starter stymied the Buckeyes' bats in a 3-0 win.

The loss dropped Ohio State to .500 in Big Ten play at 2-2 and to 19-9-1 overall. The Terrapins are now also 2-2 in conference and 16-15 for the year.

Bloom, who entered play eighth in the Big Ten with a 2.36 earned run average, cruised through the early innings, setting down the first 16 batters he faced. In total, the right-hander yielded just three hits in the shutout, striking out four and walking one.

Ohio State starter Tanner Tully also pitched well, at one point setting down 16 straight. But Bloom's dominance of the Buckeye bats meant the junior lefty ended up on the short side of the decision. Tully fell to 4-2 on the season after allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits, striking out eight and walking two.

Maryland took the early lead after Ohio State went down in order in the top of the first. Tully walked leadoff man Madison Nickens and gave up a single to two-hole hitter Nick Dunn. Cleanup man Nick Cieri then delivered an RBI single to score Nickens and Dunn came plateward on a passed ball for a 2-0 Terrapin lead.

That was all for the next five innings as both pitchers were firmly in control. A two-out solo home run by Marty Costes in the sixth was the only other blemish for Tully. It was the seventh homer of the season for the Terps' freshman left fielder.

As a result of Bloom's performance, Buckeye senior Nick Sergakis had his reached safely streak snapped at 28 games. This was the first time all season the team's co-captain didn't find his way aboard.

Game two of today's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET and will air live on Big Ten Network. Senior John Havird will take the ball for Ohio State against Maryland's Brian Shaffer.