COLLEGE PARK, MD – Third baseman
Nick Lorusso made history for No. 23 Maryland (33-16, 13-5 B1G) during Saturday's series-clinching 20-5 win over Nebraska (25-19-1, 10-8 B1G), breaking Derek Hacopian's single-season RBI record of 83 set in 1992.
Lorusso did so in style, tying teammate Matt Shaw for Maryland's single-game RBI record with an eight RBI day, hitting two home runs in the process. His eight-RBI day is the most by any Big Ten player this season. He broke Hacopian's record and tied Shaw's record on one swing, a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning, that now gives him 84 RBI this season, the most in college baseball.
It was Maryland's 11th grand slam of the season as the Terps are just three away from tying the NCAA record of 14 set by Arizona State in 2003. Maryland tied a program record with 20 runs scored on Sunday, the most in a Big Ten game. The Terps most recently reached that mark on May 14, 2022.
Maryland secured yet another conference series win, continuing a streak of 22 straight Big Ten series without a series loss (21 series wins, 1 series split), a streak that dates back to the 2021 season.
The Terps couldn't be stopped offensively, recording two separate eight-run innings, the first coming in the bottom of the third as Maryland stormed out to a 12-3 lead. Jacob Orr and Ian Petrutz both hit home runs in the inning, a three-run shot for Orr and a two-run blast for Petrutz.
Maryland manufactured runs via the long ball and small ball on Sunday, with three of its eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning coming off singles and/or walks. Six of the Terps' runs on the day came off RBI singles. The Terps tied a season-high with 20 hits overall and with 20 runs scored, they now lead the national with 477 runs scored, averaging 10.1 runs a game offensively.
All nine starters for Maryland recorded a hit and scored a run, and seven of the nine drove in at least one run in the win. Shaw, Lorusso, Eddie Hacopian and Matt Woods all scored three runs in the win. Woods matched his career-high and set a season-high with a five-hit game. Shaw, Lorusso, Hacopian, Elijah Lambros and Kevin Keister all had multi-hit games overall.
Maryland starter
Jason Savacool struck out five over six innings of work, earning the win, his fifth of the season. It's the eighth time this season that Savacool has thrown six or more innings in a game.
Breaking Down The Action
- Nebraska took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning after a two-run single from Carey.
- Lambros tied things up for Maryland at 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run single.
- Anderson doubled home a run to give Nebraska a 3-2 lead in the top of the third inning.
- Lorusso gave Maryland a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run home run.
- Orr hit a three-run homer to center field in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Terps took a 7-3 lead.
- Keister scored on a wild pitch to make it an 8-3 Maryland lead in the fourth.
- A two-run single from Lorusso and a two-run homer from Petrutz opened the floodgates for Maryland, who led 12-3 in the fourth.
- Anderson hit a two-run homer to center field in the top of the fifth as Nebraska cut the Maryland lead to 12-5.
- Two RBI singles from Woods and Shliger and an RBI sacrifice fly from Orr gave the Terps a 15-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Shaw walked with the bases loaded to make it a 16-5 Maryland lead in the sixth.
- Lorusso hit his second home run of the game, a grand slam as Maryland led, 20-5.
By The Numbers
- 5: Hits recorded by Woods on Sunday, tying a career-high
- 8: RBI on Sunday for Lorusso, tying the single-game school record
- 9: All nine starters for Maryland recorded a hit and scored a run on Sunday
- 11: Number of grand slams this season for Maryland
- 13: Home runs this season for Petrutz
- 20: Home runs this season for Lorusso, the fourth player to record a 20-homer season in Maryland history
- 20: Hits recorded by Maryland on Sunday, tying a season-high
- 20: Runs recorded by Maryland on Sunday, matching a program record for most runs scored in a Big Ten game
- 33: Wins this season for Maryland, the fifth-most in a single season since 2014
- 34: Career home runs for Lorusso, which ties him for fourth in program history
- 44: RBI this season for Petrutz
- 78: Runs scored this season for Shliger, one away from tying his own single-season program record
- 84: RBI this season for Lorusso, breaking the single-season program record
- 154: Career RBI for Lorusso, currently second in program history
- 174: Career runs scored for Shliger, seven away from tying the program record
- 477: Runs scored this season for Maryland, which leads the nation
Up Next
- The Terps continue their homestand against Northeastern at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday for their final midweek game of the season. The game will be broadcast on B1G+ and the Maryland Baseball Network.
