Maryland baseball cruises past first-place Indiana, 13-2

Holding a 3-1 lead within the high of the fifth inning towards Indiana, Maryland baseball stepped as much as plate and took maintain of the sport.

The Terps chipped in seven runs within the body, giving them a nine-run lead over the Hoosiers. This was an excessive amount of for Indiana to beat, as Maryland took sport one of many collection, 13-2, to kick off an necessary weekend in Bloomington.

Maryland head coach Rob Vaughn thought that the offensive output within the fifth was an examples of the group’s enchancment throughout this season.

“Early within the 12 months, we rating a pair to start with of inning and its nearly like alright, we’re good, we scored three or 4. However they simply saved coming, saved coming, saved coming,” he mentioned.

Friday’s win — essential within the race for the Massive Ten regular-season title — prolonged Maryland’s successful streak to 5 video games, and it featured some monster performances. Senior right-handed pitcher Nick Dean had a career-high 10 strikeouts and allowed simply two runs in seven innings. Junior shortstop Matt Shaw additionally reached 60 hits on the season with three hits and three RBIs.

Proper out of the gate, the Terps made their mark towards the highest group within the convention. Shaw and senior third basemen Nick Lorusso hit back-to-back solo pictures to begin the sport. Sophomore first baseman Eddie Hacopian then smacked a sacrifice fly, which gave sophomore outfielder Ian Petrutz sufficient time to tag from third and provides the Terps a 3-0 lead within the first inning.

The Hoosiers went to their bullpen nearly instantly, as junior right-handed pitcher Sean Manase lasted only one inning earlier than freshman right-handed pitcher Brayden Risedorph was known as on to exchange him.

Each Risedorph and Dean had it going early. Dean was not Friday’s initially scheduled starter, however after lacking final weekend’s collection with forearm tightness, he was given the beginning rather than ordinary Friday starter Jason Savacool. Dean had 4 strikeouts within the first three innings, silencing the group with the third-highest batting common within the Massive Ten coming into the weekend. Risedorph gave up only one hit in his first three innings, and had 4 strikeouts as Maryland struggled to attain after an explosive first inning.

Indiana lastly received on the board within the backside of the fourth, with a solo house run by sophomore designated hitter Carter Mathison making it 3-1.

However Maryland’s offense exploded within the high of the fifth, developing with seven runs to place the sport out of attain. With no outs and the bases loaded, Petrutz hit a sacrifice fly, which was adopted up by a masterful Hacopian bunt that introduced house Shaw. Reisdorph continued to falter, as he plunked two straight batters, including one other run to the fray.

The onslaught continued when senior left fielder Bobby Zmarzlak hit a two-RBI single to left discipline after which senior second baseman Kevin Keister hit an RBI double to deep middle discipline to balloon the Terps’ result in 10-1.

Dean stayed on the mound via the seventh inning, and he continued to quiet the batters for Indiana. He struck out six batters within the three innings following the highest of the fifth for a complete of 10 on the day. The Hoosiers did rating one other run with a solo homer from freshman second baseman Tyler Cerny within the backside of the seventh, however Dean’s efficiency left no likelihood for a Hoosier retaliation.

Maryland added an eleventh run within the seventh, as a wild pitch from aid senior left-handed pitcher Nathan Ball gave Zmarzlak sufficient time to slip into house safely. Shaw additionally got here up massive once more with a two-RBI double within the high of the ninth to make it 13-2.

Junior left-handed pitcher Logan Ott closed out the final two innings and didn’t enable one other run, securing the win for Maryland.

Three issues to know

1. Dean was wonderful after being known as to motion late. Earlier than the sport, head coach Rob Vaughn introduced that Dean would pitch on Friday for the primary time this season. His response was nothing wanting distinctive. He threw his greatest sport of the season in Maryland’s greatest sport so far. He struck out a career-high 10 batters and gave up simply two runs in seven innings of labor.

Vaughn sang his praises postgame, saying “That man is aware of how you can win massive video games. The second doesn’t get too massive for him.”

2. The underside of the order stepped up. By means of the primary 4 innings, the final three batters in Maryland’s order had struck out 4 occasions and had just one hit. However when the group went on its run within the fifth, it was the underside of the order got here up massive. Keister, Zmarzlak and sophomore third baseman Jacob Orr mixed for 4 RBIs within the inning to assist put the sport out of attain.

3. Maryland struck first in a collection that might resolve the Massive Ten regular-season title. The Terps and Hoosiers are locked in a battle for first place within the convention. After Friday’s sport, each groups have a convention file of 9-4. If one group can take the subsequent two, it is going to be in sole posession of the highest spot within the convention. Maryland has had an up-and-down season, however the Terps improved their possibilities to assert back-to-back regular-season Massive Ten titles.