COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Despite an onslaught of home runs for the Terps, Maryland was outmatched in both games of its doubleheader on Saturday vs. Rutgers at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium. Junior shortstop Benjamin Cowles launched three homers on the day following his two-homer performance in Friday's game, and Maryland looked poised to force extras in the bottom of the ninth in Game Two, but the Scarlet Knights weathered the effort and jumped out to a 2-1 series advantage.

What You Should Know

• Cowles is hitting the baseball better than anyone in the nation. The Newark, N.Y. native is on a torrid pace to begin his junior campaign.
• Three games into the four-game set, Cowles is 6-for-11 at the plate with five home runs and six RBI, while slugging at a monster 1.909 clip. He's also playing exceptional defense at short.
• The Terps as a whole mashed five long balls on the day. Three from Cowles, and the others from Tommy Gardiner and Matt Orlando. First career homers from Gardiner and Orlando. Certainly a nice asset to have a little thump deep in the batting order.
• Maryland never really found it's groove in Game One of the doubleheader. Just a seven-inning affair, Sean Fisher got the start and went three and a third innings, allowing four runs (only two earned). Head Coach Rob Vaughn worked through several bullpen options, handing the ball off to Elliot Zoellner, Chris Chaney, Gavin Stellpflug, and Zach Thompson in relief.
• Rutgers started the first inning by putting up a three-spot and led wire-to-wire in their victory. Despite homers from Orlando and Cowles, the Terrapin offense was stifled by the one-two punch of Ben Wereski and Kyle Muller.
• Game Two was a much more eventful tilt, as the game was well within reach for a good duration. The Terps put up a pair of runs in the first - via RBI base knocks from Matt Shaw and Bobby Zmarzlak - to hop out to an early 2-0 lead.
• Maryland's 2-0 lead quickly turned into a 2-2 tie courtesy of a leadoff walk and ensuing home run off starter Connor Staine.
• Staine battled some issues with the long ball, allowing seven runs in five innings of work. He did strike out eight batters, however. The sophomore's outing was highlighted by shutdown innings in the first and second, but the power of the Rutgers' bats prevailed.
• Trailing by as much as four in the middle innings, Maryland did its best to battle back as back-to-back homers in the sixth from Cowles and Gardiner cut the deficit to two.
• Maryland's bullpen was effective in keeping the Scarlet Knights at bay, as Sean Heine tossed three innings of one-run ball and Ryan Ramsey twirled an electrifying ninth - striking out the side on 10 pitches - to give Maryland a chance in the bottom of the ninth.
• Facing Rutgers' closer Brian Fitzpatrick, Shaw drew a leadoff HBP, then Bednar grounded one to short which erased Shaw on the double play opportunity - but the senior captain took advantage of a throwing error by the second baseman and took his spot on second with just one down.
• Despite Zmarzlak-Orlando-Flint batting behind him, the Terps couldn't get the tying run in, and Rutgers completed the doubleheader sweep.

Up Next

• Maryland faces Rutgers in the last game of its four-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT. Set your clocks back! The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus.