OXFORD, MS. – No. 13 Maryland (3-2) used a primetime pitching performance from starter
Jason Savacool and its fourth grand slam in five games to take down No. 4 Ole Miss (4-1), 9-2, on Friday night at Swayze Field at Oxford-University Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi. The Terps improved to 3-2 on the season with the series-opening win.
Savacool struck out nine Ole Miss hitters in seven innings of work, giving up just one earned run and two runs overall over 102 pitches. He allowed just five hits and walked no one in a massive bounce-back performance on the mound.
Up 3-1 in the seventh inning, designated hitter Ian Petrutz added to the grand slam count for himself and Maryland, hitting his second of the season, giving them a 7-1 lead over the Rebels. The grand slam was the highlight of a five-run seventh inning for the Terps as Kevin Keister tacked on an RBI single, his second RBI of the game.
The Terps got the scoring started in the top of the second inning with a pair of runs, first coming from second baseman Kevin Keister, who recorded an RBI sacrifice fly, scoring Petrutz. Later in the inning, Bobby Zmarzlak beat out what looked to be an inning-ending double play, reaching on a fielder's choice as Eddie Hacopian came around to score.
Behind strong pitching early on from Savacool, Maryland retained a slim lead, building that up to 3-1 in the fifth as Luke Shliger singled home Elijah Lambros. Lambros had doubled earlier in the inning, barely beating out the throw from Rebels left fielder Judd Utermark.
Petrutz was the main man at the plate for Maryland, going 3-for-4 with the grand slam, two runs scored and four RBI. Keister went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Shliger went 3-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored.
Ole Miss was led offensively by Calvin Harris and Anthony Calarco, each recording two hits and scoring a run, with Calarco adding a double to his day at the plate. On the mound, starter Jack Dougherty gave up three earned runs and struck out three in 4+ innings of work, giving up six hits.
Breaking Down The Action
- Savacool came out strong, striking out two in the first inning and setting down the Rebels in order
- Maryland opened up the scoring with two runs in the top of the second with an RBI sacrifice fly from Keister and a fielder's choice from Zmarzlak beating out a potential inning-ending double play, 2-0.
- Ole Miss got one back in the bottom-half of the second from a Calarco RBI groundout, 2-1.
- Savacool struck out two in the third, bringing his game total to six strikeouts through three innings, 2-1.
- An RBI single from Shliger drove home Lambros, who hit an hustle double earlier in the fifth, re-extending Maryland's lead, 3-1.
- Petrutz blew the game open for the Terps, hitting his second grand slam of the season and fourth by Maryland hitters this season, in the seventh, 7-1.
- Keister recorded his second RBI of the game with a single through the right side in the seventh, scoring Woods, 8-1.
- Savacool struck out Utemark to end the seventh, his final batter of the game and ninth strikeout for the Terps. The Rebels scored a run on a Kevin Keister errant throw earlier in the frame, 8-2.
- Hacopian scored Lorusso on an RBI sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, 9-2.
- Maryland reliever Kenny Lippman came in and struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth, pitching around a single, 9-2.
- Lippman tosses a second scoreless inning in the ninth to shut the door, 9-2.
By The Numbers
- 1: Lambros hit his first collegiate double in the fifth inning
- 4: Grand slams hit this season by Maryland hitters
- 2: Grand slams hit this season by Petrutz
- 9: Strikeouts from Savacool in his second outing of the season
Terp Debuts
- Fifth year outfielder and Bryant transfer Matt Woods made his Maryland debut, starting in right field.
Up Next
- The Terps and Rebels continue their three-game series tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on SECN+ and the Maryland Baseball Network.
