Coombs Homers In 5-3 Loss To Rutgers

Friday, May 8

Piscataway, NJ

6 PM

Maryland

23-27, 6-19

Rutgers

23-26, 10-15

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

Cristofer Cespedes pitches against Rutgers

5/8/2026 6:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Cristofer Cespedes threw a career-high seven innings on Friday night.

PISCATAWAY, NJ — Bud Coombs and Jordan Crosland both collected three hits in Maryland's series opener against Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights came away with a 5-3 win to drop the Terps to 23-27 (6-19 Big Ten) on the season.

BUD BLAST 🚀#DirtyTerps pic.twitter.com/BgCeTh5peq
— Maryland Baseball (@TerpsBaseball) May 9, 2026

Cristofer Cespedes made his second career start on Friday night. He threw a career-high 107 pitches across a career-high seven innings of work. Cespedes allowed just two earned runs and limited the Scarlet Knights to seven hits in his start while collecting seven strikeouts.

Coombs had another big day at the plate for Maryland. He recorded a trio of hits, including his sixth homer of the season in the seventh inning. Crosland also logged a three-hit game on a night where Maryland outhit Rutgers, 8-7.

Coombs brought Maryland a run closer with an RBI double in the ninth inning, but the Scarlet Knights outlasted the Terps to improve to 23-26 (10-15 Big Ten) on the season. The weekend series continues on Saturday at 6 PM.

📍Piscataway, New Jersey pic.twitter.com/3Azb3NAuPe
— Maryland Baseball (@TerpsBaseball) May 7, 2026

How It Happened:

B1: Rutgers snatched a 3-0 lead with a three-run homer.
B2: Cespedes capped a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout.
T3: Devin Russell doubled for the Terps' first hit.
T3: Brayden Martin's sac-fly got Maryland on the board.
T5: Coombs led the inning off with an infield single.
B5: Rutgers extended its lead with an RBI fielder's choice.
T6: Crosland led the inning off with a single up the middle.
T7: Coombs' sixth homer of the season made it 4-2.
B7: Rutgers used a sac-fly to claim a 5-2 lead.
T8: Crosland led off the inning with his third hit of the night.
B8: Brayden Ryan worked a 1-2-3 inning.
T9: Ty Kaunas singled to open the final frame.
T9: Coombs plated Kaunas with an RBI double.

Impact Performances:

Coombs (RF): 3-4, HR (6), 2 RBI, 2B.
Cespedes (SP): 7.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 7 K, BB, 107 pitches.
Crosland (LF): 3-4, 2B.
Kaunas (SS): 1-3, R, BB.
Ryan (RP): 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, K.

Numbers To Know:

2: Martin (47) and Kaunas (43) are the top two Big Ten leaders in walks.
3: Both Crosland and Coombs had three-hit nights.
5: Maryland ranks in the top five in the Big Ten in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, stolen bases, walks, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, and total bases.
6: Coombs' homer marked his sixth of his freshman season.
8: Maryland outhit Rutgers 8-7.
16: Kaunas' 16 doubles this season rank tied for third in the Big Ten.
40: Friday marked the 40th all-time meeting between Maryland and Rutgers.
319: Maryland drew three walks to bring its Big Ten-leading season total to 319.