COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The University of Maryland baseball team kicked off its home schedule and best-of-four series vs. Rutgers with a 13-8 win over the Scarlet Knights on Friday night at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium. Maryland's offense uncorked in its home opener, launching a season high 13 runs, courtesy of home runs from Benjamin Cowles (2), Bobby Zmarzlak, and Chris Alleyne. Sean Burke got the start on the mound and the win, going five and two thirds innings, while allowing four runs (three earned).

What You Should Know

• Junior shortstop Benjamin Cowles had a career day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, driving in three and drawing an intentional walk.
• Maryland's offense got into a groove on Friday as it scored runs in seven of the eight innings where the Terps came up to bat.
• Rutgers started things off with the upper hand, scoring three runs in the top of the first on a passed ball and a two-run single from the hot bat of Rutgers' shortstop Danny DiGeorgio.
• The Terps responded in the bottom of the second, plating a run courtesy of Chris Alleyne's speed on the basepaths. Alleyne tagged up from first on a deep fly ball to right, stole third, and came home on a RBI groundout from Randy Bednar.
• Burke settled in in the top of the second, setting the Scarlet Knights down in order and striking out two.
• Maryland got another run back on Cowles' first homer of the day, a no-doubter over the center field wall.
• Alleyne made some more noise in the fourth, taking the lead after the Philadelphia native launched a mammoth three-run go-ahead homer to deep center field.
• A Zmarzlak solo shot in the fifth made gave the Terps a two run advantage, that quickly returned to one after Falco allowed an inherited runner to score.
• Maryland started to pour it on in the sixth after Cowles' second homer of the day and an RBI single from Bednar.
• Redshirt freshman David Falco made his Maryland debut in relief of Sean Burke, limiting the damage in the sixth inning, then tossing a lights-out seventh in which he struck out the Scarlet Knights in order.
• Trevor LaBonte and Tyler Blohm made appearances in the eighth, as LaBonte allowed a pair of runs, but Blohm struck out the final two batters of the inning.
• Maryland tacked on another run in the bottom of the frame, then Sam Bello tossed a shutdown ninth to secure the win for the Terps.

Up Next

• Maryland matches up with Rutgers again for a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch of game one is slated for 12:00 p.m. ET, while the second game will start approximately 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first. Both games will be streamed on Big Ten Network Plus.