Box Score COLLEGE PARK, MD – Maryland (24-15, 7-4 B1G) clawed out a close win against Purdue (19-19, 8-6 B1G) in the middle game of this weekend series, 6-5, at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium in College Park. The game was suspended in the bottom of the seventh inning on Saturday until Sunday morning due to inclement weather.
After falling behind to Purdue for the second-straight game, the Terps needed a breakthrough and they got it from their two best hitters: Nick Lorusso and Matt Shaw.
Maryland had tied things up at 2-2 in the bottom of the third, only to go back down 4-2 by the fourth, but Lorusso once again came up clutch, hitting his 15th homer of the season, a three-run blast to put Maryland in front, 5-4.
One of the best run producers in college baseball, the three RBI gave him 65 on the season as he continues to lead the team and the Big Ten in the category. He's moved up and down the top five in the country in recent weeks and is now fourth.
Shaw followed him up with a solo home run, back-to-back homers for him and Lorusso, to give Maryland some cushion up 6-4. It was Shaw's 14th of the season but more importantly, it put him in a tie with former Terp Paul Schager atop the career home run leaderboard in Maryland history with 43.
Freshman left-hander
Kyle McCoy had a solid start for the Terps, striking out five and giving up two earned runs in six innings of work. The bullpen proved to be the major asset for Maryland down the stretch as
Kenny Lippman and
Nigel Belgrave combing to throw three scoreless innings in relief, giving up three hits. Belgrave worked out of a jam in then ninth to secure victory, striking out Sam Franco with runners on second and third and two outs.
Breaking Down The Action
- Valdez opened up the scoring for Purdue in the top of the second with an RBI single as the Boilermakers took a 1-0 lead.
- That Purdue lead doubled to 2-0 in the top of the third after an RBI groundout from Cornblum.
- Maryland tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third as Hacopian recorded an RBI single and Woods recorded an RBI double.
- Valdez tacked on two more RBI with a two-run single in the top of the fourth, a 4-2 Purdue lead.
- Lorusso gave Maryland a 5-4 lead with a three-run homer in the bottom of fourth.
- Shaw followed up Lorusso with a solo homer, back-to-back homers, as Maryland took a 6-4 lead in the fourth.
- Purdue cut the lead to 6-5 in the top of the fifth as Parr reached on an error, allowing a run to score.
By The Numbers
- 2: Scorless innings of work from Belgrave to nail down the save.
- 3: Lorusso and Shaw hit back-to-back home runs for the third time this season.
- 14: Number of homers this season for Shaw.
- 15: Lorusso hit his team-leading 15th homer of the season on Saturday.
- 43: Career home runs for Matt Shaw, tying a program record.
- 65: Number of RBI this season for Lorusso after driving in three in Saturday's game.
Up Next
- The Terps conclude their series against Purdue at Noon Sunday at The Bob. Sunday's game will be broadcast on ESPNU and the Maryland Baseball Network.
