Terps Outlast Illini In Game Two, 9-8

Saturday, April 27

College Park, MD

3 PM

Maryland

27-17, 7-10

Illinois

25-14, 11-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Illinois	0	3	2	1	0	0	0	2	0	8	15	1
Maryland	4	1	3	0	0	0	1	0	X	9	11	1

4/27/2024 5:02:00 PM | Baseball

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COLLEGE PARK, MD – Maryland baseball defeated Illinois, 9-8, in game two at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium on Saturday's Maryland Day. Maryland (27-17, 7-10 Big Ten) and Illinois (25-14, 11-3 Big Ten) are tied at one game in the series. The Terps improved to 12-3 in one-run games, which is a school record for most wins. They also snapped the Illini's nine game win streak.

The game featured back-and-forth scoring and many highlight plays. The Terps scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, but the Illini later tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the third. However, a two-run home run by Devin Russell and an RBI single by Eddie Hacopian allowed Maryland to re-establish a sufficient lead. Hacopian added an RBI double in the seventh to further bolster the lead.

B3| Devin Russell goes nuclear

Terps 7
ILL 5#DirtyTerps pic.twitter.com/nO6KvdODFV
— Maryland Baseball (@TerpsBaseball) April 27, 2024

Kenny Lippman pitched 4.1 innings in relief and allowed just one run while striking out five batters. Logan Berrier pitched the remaining two innings and earned his fourth save of the season. He came through despite the Illini loading the bases in the eighth and having the game-tying run in scoring position in the ninth.

Elijah Lambros was the other Terp to homer in the game. He hit his 20th career home run in the second inning, his sixth of the season, and he finished the game 3-for-3 for his 30th career multi-hit game.

B2| Lam-BOMB!!!💣

Terps 5
ILL 3 pic.twitter.com/nFOelW6bX8
— Maryland Baseball (@TerpsBaseball) April 27, 2024

Kevin Keister, Michael Iannazzo and Jacob Orr were the other Terps to drive in runs. Keister added two runs scored. Chris Hacopian supplied three hits to contribute to the Terps' strong performance in the batter's box.

Swope On Berrier Getting The Job Done
"That's what closers do man," Head Coach Matt Swope said. "They always make it interesting, but I told him after the game, I said 'there wasn't even a question we were gonna send you back out. You've been lights out all year.' When he came in after the eighth I just said take a deep breath, go back out there, you'll have a clean ending and get us the dub. And that's what he did."

Russell On His Go-Ahead Homer
"I was on the barrel the whole at bat and I felt like I just missed the first one. It was a fastball, so I wasn't really thinking he was gonna come back with the fastball. I was kind of sitting soft. I think he spiked the slider before that pitch that I hit out and then he hung the change. I hit it on the barrel, so it felt good."

Breaking Down The Action

B7| Hustle RBI double by Eddie

Terps 9
ILL 6#DirtyTerps pic.twitter.com/pGSdCY6QrB
— Maryland Baseball (@TerpsBaseball) April 27, 2024

Maryland loaded the bases in the bottom of the first and scored its first run on a hit-by-pitch. A double play ball then scored another run. Kevin Keister supplied an RBI double off the left-field wall and Michael Iannazzo added an RBI single as the Terps took an early 4-0 lead.
Illinois responded with a three-run homer in the top of the second to trail 4-3.
Elijah Lambros followed with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning and the Terps lead 5-3.
The Illini hit a two-run homer run in the third to tie the game at 5-5.
Devin Russell joined the home run party with a two-run shot to left field. Maryland was back in front 7-5. Eddie Hacopian then singled down the right-field line to score Lambros.
The Illini got a run back on an RBI single and trailed 8-6.
Hacopian hit an RBI double in the seventh to extend the Maryland lead to 9-6.
The Illini scored two runs in the eighth to trail 9-8.
Logan Berrier shut the door in a one-run game and earned the save.

In The Record Books

Kevin Keister drew a walk and now has 109 in his career and ranks fourth in program history. Maxwell Costes (2019-22) is third with 116 in his career.

Numbers To Know

6: Devin Russell has six career home runs, including five this season.
7: Chris Hacopian has seven three-hit games.
9: Maryland snapped Illinois' nine game win streak.
12: Maryland is 12-3 in one-run games.
19: Hacopian has 19 multi-hit games this season.
20: Elijah Lambros has 20 career home runs in his career, including six this season.
30: Lambros has 30 multi-hit games, including 12 this season.
45: Eddie Hacopian recorded the 45th multi-hit game in his Maryland career, including 22 this season.

Up Next

Maryland returns to action for game three against Illinois tomorrow, April 28. The first pitch is at 1 pm, and the game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus and Maryland Baseball Network.