WINSTON-SALEM, NC –
Nick Lorusso became the first Division I player in 20 years to record 100 runs batted in a single season in leading No. 19 Maryland to a 7-2 victory over Northeastern in the opener of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon at David F. Couch Ballpark on Wake Forest's campus. The Terps will take on overall No. 1 seed Wake Forest on Saturday night at 6 p.m, the game airs on ACC Network/ESPN+ and the Maryland Baseball Network.
The Big Ten Champion Terps (42-19) equaled their second-most victories in a season, tying the 2015 team that went 42-24 on the way to the NCAA Super Regionals. Only last season's Terps won more games, going 48-14, in hosting an NCAA Regional in College Park.
Lorusso had a huge game with a homer, triple, and single going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. His first-inning homer was his 24th of the season to equal Maryland's single-season home run record, tying
Chris Alleyne, who had 24 last season. With his 101 RBIs, Lorusso became the first player to reach the century mark since New Mexico State's Billy Becher had 118 in 2003.
With eight total bases in the game, Lorusso also set the Maryland single-season record for total bases with 191 breaking a tie with McCurdy (2002) and Derek Hacopian (1992) with 183.
Eddie Hacopian, Derek's son, smacked a solo home run in the second inning, putting the Terps up 2-0 after Lorusso blast gave Maryland a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Lorusso scored the go-ahead run after his triple, coming home on a sacrifice fly by Ian Petrutz in the fourth inning after Northeastern had tied the game at 2-2.
Lorusso and Hacopian each drove in runs in the fifth to extend the Terps' edge to 5-2. Petrutz became the third Terp with two RBI in the game, driving in Shliger in the eighth, making it 6-2. Shaw scored on a wild pitch to push it to 7-2.
Starting pitcher Jason Savacool (9-5) won his ninth game of the season, tossing six innings. He allowed just two runs, five hits while striking out seven Huskies. Kenny Lippman came out the bullpen to toss two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. Andrew Johnson closed the game in the ninth.
The Huskies (44-15) came into the game with one of the deepest pitching staffs in the nation, entering the game second nationally in team ERA (3.57) and eighth in team WHIP (1.28). Only host Wake Forest has better numbers in those categories (2.82 ERA and 1.05 WHIP). The Huskies will play the loser of the Friday night game on Saturday at Noon.
Breaking Down The Action
- Lorusso opened the scoring with his 24th home run of the season in the first inning.
- Hacopian led off the second inning with a towering shot to left field for a 2-0 lead for the Terps.
- The Huskies got on the board with a two-out RBI by Tyler MacGregor, cutting the Terps' lead to 2-1 in the third inning.
- Northeastern tied the game at 2-2 with a two-out rally on a walk, a single off Savacool's leg then a run-scoring single by Gregory Bozzo in the top of the fourth.
- Maryland pulled back in front with a sacrifice fly by Ian Petrutz to score Lorusso, who tripled to deep center to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning, to regain the Terps lead at 3-2.
- The Terps expanded the lead to 5-2 in the sixth as Lorusso drove in Shliger, who doubled to lead off the inning. Then Hacopian's sacrifice fly brought home Shaw, who singled after Shliger's double.
- Savacool finished his day with a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth.
- Lippman tossed two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth to keep the score at 5-2.
- Maryland took advantage of aggressive base running and miscues by the Huskies in the eighth as Shliger and Shaw both stole bases and eventually scored. Shliger came home on a Petrutz single and Shaw, who reached on an error, scored on a wild pitch. That pushed the Terps lead to 7-2.
NCAA Tournament History
- Big Ten Champion Maryland is competing in the NCAA Regionals for the third year in a row and appearing in the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the ninth time in history. This is the Terps sixth NCAA Tournament since 2014, covering nine tournaments.
- Maryland is now 15-17 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, dating to its first appearance in 1965 with a 14-11 mark since 2014 – all with Rob Vaughn on staff.
- The Terps have now won at least one game in each of its last six appearances.
- Maryland has previously captured regional titles on two occasions (2015, 2014).
By The Numbers
- 1.37: In postseason (the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament) Maryland has a team ERA of 1.37, allowing just seven runs in 46 innings.
- 6: The Terps have won at least one NCAA Tournament game in each of their last six appearances, dating to 2014.
- 8: Lorusso had eight total bases in the game, to set the Maryland single-season record for total bases in a season with 191.
- 10: Maryland pitching staff struck out 10 (Savacool 7, Lippman 2, Johnson 1).
- 11: Lorusso had his team-leading 11th game with three hits this season.
- 13: Petrutz had his 13th game with two RBI this season.
- 14: Hacopian had his 14th multi-RBI game of the season.
- 18: Shaw had his team-best 18th stolen bases. Shliger also had a steal for 13, second-most on the team.
- 24: Lorusso mashed his 24th dinger of 2023, tying for the school's single-season record for homers in a season (Chris Alleyne 24 in 2022) and Big Ten Conference lead.
- 27: Lorusso had his team-best 27th game with multiple RBI this season.
- 59: Shliger's record-setting reached-base streak advanced to 59 games on a double in the sixth inning, along with two walks.
- 67: Shliger had two walks, to extend his single-season record for walks to 67.
- 101: Lorusso added to his nation-leading RBI total, driving in two runs to push his season count to 101 RBI. He is the first D-I player with 100 RBI in a season since Billy Becher had 118 in 2003 with New Mexico State.
- 171: Lorusso continued to build his program RBI record by driving in the 171 RBI of his career in College Park.
Career Record Book Update
- With two RBI, Lorusso pushed his career RBI record total to 171. Shaw is second on the career list with 164.
- With two runs scored, Shliger added to his career record total of 186 runs scored.
- Shaw added to his school-record career total bases mark with a single, giving him 427.
- With two walks, Shliger extended his career record for walks to 136. Shaw is ninth on the list with 95.
- Shaw moved to third in career runs scored with 169 behind Shliger (185) and associate head coach Matt Swope (181) as he passed Chris Alleyne (168 from 2018-22) in the game.
- Lorusso is now alone in fourth in career home runs with 39, breaking a tie with Alleyne, who had 38 from 2018-22.
- Shaw continues to stand sixth in career hits with 220. Next up at No. 5 is Dan Melvin (2004-07) with 231.
- With a double, Shliger holds steady at sixth in career doubles with 49. Next up with 52 is Chad Durakis (2005-08) at No. 5.
- Shliger (double) and Lorusso (home run and triple) are now both tied for seventh in career extra-base hits with 77 with Maxwell Costes with 77 from 2019-22. Next up with 80 is Ken Noe (1990-92).
- Shaw is now 11th in career at-bats with 683, passing Chris Alleyne (682) and Todd Nutter (681). Next up is No. 10 Charlie White with 689 from 2011-14.
- On the pitching charts, Jason Savacool added to his total as he stands second in career wins with 24. The record is held by Mike Shawaryn with 30 from 2014-16. With seven strikeouts, his 270 strikeouts is third all-time, with Steve Schmoll next with 272 from 2000-03. He is fifth in career innings pitched now with 279. Next with 294.0 is John Ryane (1989-92).
Single-Season Record Book Update
- Lorusso tied the school record for single-season home runs with 24, equaling Alleyne's mark of 24 set last season. Derek Hacopian held the record with 23, set in 1992, until Alleyne broke it last season.
- Shliger added to his school record for runs scored in a season with two runs in the game, giving him 90. Shaw has the third-most in a single season with 77. Lorusso is now tied for fifth with 70 this season with Chris Stark (1985).
- Lorusso continued to add to his single-season record for RBI in a season, surpassing the 100-RBI plateau.
- On the single-season hits chart. Lorusso (three hits) moved to second with 96. The record of 98 is held by John McCurdy (2002). Lorusso passed Derek Hacopian for second with 95 in 1992. With 88 hits, Shaw is now tied for fourth on the single-season list passing Alleyne's mark of 87 last season and equaling Shliger with 88 last year.
- Shliger's 23 doubles moved to a tie for third in single-season doubles, equaling Troy Schreffler Jr.'s mark of 23 last season. Shliger also had 22 doubles last season.
- On the single-season extra-base hits list, Lorusso now has the single-season record with 45 after a homer and triple. Shaw is next with 44 this year, surpassing John McCurdy's total of 43 in 2002.
- Shliger added to his single-season record with two walks, bringing his total to 67.
- On the total bases chart, Lorusso took the single-season record in the game with eight, giving him 191, breaking a tie with McCurdy (2002) and Derek Hacopian (1992) with 183. Shaw is fourth all-time with 179.
- Kenny Lippman became the fifth Terp to appear in 30 games in a season, tying for second-most in a single-season, most recently by Sean Heine last year.
- With nine wins this season, Jason Savacool now has the fifth-most wins in a season in Maryland history.
Up Next
- The Terps will take on overall No. 1 seed Wake Forest on Saturday at 6 p.m. The game will air on the ACC Network/ESPN+ and the Maryland Baseball Network.
