For the third time this year the Stetson Hatters were shutout on Friday night, dropping a 7-0 series-opening game to visiting Maryland at Melching Field.
 
Stetson falls to 5-8 on the year with the loss while Maryland improved to 8-4.
 
In what started out as a pitchers' duel between Stetson's Robbie Peto (0-2) and Maryland's Hunter Parsons (3-0), the Terrapins blew the game open against the Hatters' bullpen late in the game, scoring a pair of runs in the seventh inning and four more in the ninth.
 
Parsons, who pitched a two-hit shutout against Stetson in the series finale between the teams last March in College Park, was impressive again. The senior right hander struck out 10 over seven innings of work, scattering six hits and walking just one.
 
A trio of Terrapins' hurlers combined to work through the eighth inning before John Murphy closed out the game in the ninth.
 
Peto was again strong in his outing, allowing just one run on three hits over six innings of work with one walk and nine strikeouts. The one run came in the sixth when Maxwell Costes blasted a two-out solo homer to left. It was his second home run of the year.
 
Maryland added a pair of runs off freshman reliever Danny Garcia in the seventh inning thanks to a pair of walks, a hit-by-pitch and a Stetson error. Randy Bednar doubled in the two runs for a 3-0 Terrapins lead.
 
It was Bednar who got things started for Maryland in the ninth, blasting a solo home run to start the inning. Taylor Wright followed with another homer, ending the night for Garcia.
 
The Terrapins added two more runs off freshman Mike Materetsky, picking up four hits including RBI singles from Benjamin Cowles and Tommy Gardiner.
 
Kyle Ball led Stetson with three hits in the game while Baylen Sparks had two. Wright led Maryland with three hits while Bednar and Costes had two each.
 
The teams will be back in action at Melching Field on Saturday night, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.