Box Score COLLEGE PARK, MD – Freshan Brayden Martin was the hero as he drove home two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Maryland baseball a 7-6 walk-off win over Michigan State in its Big Ten opener at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium on Friday. Maryland has won seven out of their last eight games and improved to 8-0 at home on the season. The win was also Maryland's ninth comeback win of the season and sixth win in a last at-bat.
Maryland (17-5, 1-0 B1G) went down by three runs in the top of the first inning and scored five unanswered runs. However, Michigan State (8-11, 0-1 B1G) squeaked out three runs, including one in the top of the ninth to keep them alive. The Spartans also scored the go-ahead run from third base in the top of the 10th inning on a wild pitch before Martin's heroics.
Jordan Crosland and Jacob Orr each homered in the ballgame. Crosland hit his second home run of his freshman season to get the Terps on the board in the second inning. He finished 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Orr hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Terps the lead. It was also his second blast of the season.
Six Terps recorded multiple hits in the contest. Eddie Hacopian, Kevin Keister, Devin Russell and Elijah Lambros joined Crosland and Orr as the multi-hit Terps. Lambros and Chris Hacopian drove in the other runs.
Kenny Lippman started on the mound, pitched six innings and struck out four batters. Sarcone pitched 2.1 innings and struck out four batters while allowing just one run on two hits. Logan Berrier was awarded the win by pitching the final 1.2 innings.
Breaking Down The Action
- Michigan State opened the game with three straight doubles, including a ground-rule double to score two runners and take a 2-0 lead. The Spartans added another RBI double later in the inning. They led 3-0 heading into the bottom half.
- Jordan Crosland homered to left-center in the second inning to put the Terps on the board. It was a solo home run and the Terps trailed 3-1.
- The Terps grabbed their first lead in conference play with a big fourth inning. Chris Hacopian drove home Devin Russell with an RBI double and Jacob Orr blasted a two-run homer to right field to take a 4-3 lead.
- The Terps added one run in the fifth inning to take a 5-3 lead with an RBI single on a bunt by Elijah Lambros.
- The Spartans climbed back within one with a solo home run. It was the first run for them since the first inning. The Terps still led 5-4.
- Trystan Sarcone retired six batters in a row, but Logan Berrier entered the game tasked with getting the remaining two outs in the ninth. The Spartans squeaked out a run to tie the game at 5-5.
- The Spartans scored a run in the 10th on a wild pitch to lead 6-5.
- Brayden Martin called game with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the inning to walk it off with a 7-6 win.
Coach Swope's Take
"The situation [Brayden Martin] came in when he's pinch hitting, we're clearly going to bunt and then he has three straight balls. All we really talk about is the quality at bat stuff. He comes in and does just that, just having quality at-bat after quality at-bat. I think he is the first or second quality at-bat on the team and right there what bigger spot is that. We have been talking about trusting how fast his hands are. That's their guy and they try to come in there and he makes them pay and it gives us a huge win."
Brayden Martin on His Walk-Off Hit
"The feeling is great and it's a great moment to share with the guys. They set it up for me and I was just happy to come through for the guys there… I was definitely going up there looking for a fastball. The pressure is on him and he has to come to me with bases loaded so he couldn't put me on."
Numbers To Know
- 2: Jordan Crosland hit the second home run of his career.
- 3: Crosland notched his third career multi-hit game.
- 4: Devin Russell recorded multiple hits for the fourth time in his career.
- 5: Jacob Orr hit his fifth career home run
- 6: The Terps are 6-1 in one-run games this season
- 6: The win was the Terps sixth in a last at-bat.
- 7: The Terps have won seven of their last eight games.
- 9: The win is Maryland's ninth comeback win of the season.
- 8: The Terps are 8-0 at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium this season.
- 11: The Terps are 11-2 in their last 13 games.
- 15: Chris Hacopian has a 15-game on-base streak.
- 21: Orr notched his 21st multi-hit game of his career.
- 26: Elijah Lambros notched his 26th career multi-hit game.
- 32: Eddie Hacopian had his 32nd career multi-hit game.
- 45: Kevin Keister has 45 multi-hit games in his career.
Up Next
- Maryland is back in action at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium for game two of its series with Michigan State tomorrow, March 23 at a new time of 4 pm. The game was pushed back due to expected weather earlier in the day. The game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus and Maryland Baseball Network.
