Savacool’s stellar start, Petrutz’s grand slam lead No. 13 Maryland baseball to 9-2 win at No. 4 Ole Miss

No. 13 Maryland baseball headed into Oxford, Mississippi, understanding that this weekend was going to be one in every of its hardest battles of the season because it ready to face the reigning nationwide champion: the No. 4-ranked Ole Miss Rebels.

Each groups are coming off magnificent seasons and had their first ranked matchup of 2023 within the sequence opener, which fueled much more hearth to this extremely anticipated matchup.

Maryland’s weak point in its two losses have been poor performances from beginning pitchers, placing it in huge deficits early and forcing late-inning comebacks to present the Terps an opportunity. That wasn’t the case Friday evening, with junior right-hander Jason Savacool having an electrical outing in opposition to the fourth-ranked group within the nation. He threw seven innings, totaling 9 strikeouts, 5 hits, no walks and only one earned run.

The Terps held a 3-1 lead going into the seventh inning and have been in a position to work the bases loaded with no outs. Sophomore designated hitter Ian Petrutz — having been in the identical place simply final week in opposition to South Florida — hit a grand slam that sailed into the Ole Miss bullpen, his second grand slam of the season. Petrutz’s blast put the ending touches on the Terps’ 9-2 win over the reigning nationwide champs, giving them a 1-0 lead within the three-game sequence.

Ole Miss sophomore right-handed pitcher Jack Dougherty was named the starter for the Rebels after Hunter Elliott was dominated out because of harm. Dougherty was a notable reliever for the Rebels final 12 months, ending fourth on the group in strikeouts. He shortly obtained out the highest of the Maryland order to start out the sport.

Savacool additionally began off sturdy, forcing two strikeouts and a flyout.

Dougherty cooled off within the second inning, having bother together with his command. Petrutz obtained the primary hit of the sport in opposition to the shift, adopted by Eddie Hacopian hitting a single. That arrange Bryant switch Matt Woods’ first Maryland at-bat, which resulted in a stroll.

With the bases loaded, Kevin Keister introduced in Petrutz on a sacrifice fly to proper discipline, and Bobby Zmarzlak subsequently beat out a possible double play to earn an RBI fielder’s selection, giving the Terps a 2-0 lead.

Within the backside of the second, Savacool surrendered his first hit on the primary pitch to Calvin Harris. Savacool the struck out Ethan Lege, however Harris moved to second on a dropped third strike. After a wild pitch, Harris moved to 3rd, and was promptly introduced residence by an Anthony Calarco groundout.

Savacool stored his composure, although, putting out his subsequent batter on three pitches. He didn’t give up a success to anybody apart from Harris in his first 4 innings.

After a tricky second inning, Dougherty bounced again, stopping injury within the third and fourth.

Lambros began the fifth inning by legging out a double. On the subsequent pitch, Shliger knocked him in with a single, extending Maryland’s result in 3-1. That ended Dougherty’s evening with a line of 4 innings, six hits, three earned runs and three strikeouts.

Senior right-hander Mitch Murrell got here in and retired the facet with a strikeout of Hacopian, regardless of a stolen base by Shliger and a stroll of Petrutz.

Murrell and Savacool then traded shutdown innings till the seventh.

Within the high of the seventh, Shliger obtained his second hit of the sport and Shaw obtained his first, placing runners on second and third with no outs and ending Murrell’s evening. After that, issues went downhill for the Rebels.

Freshman pitcher Jordan Vera walked Nick Lorusso to load the bases. And with Petrutz as much as the plate, he launched a ball over the suitable discipline wall, breaking the sport open. Woods was then plunked, adopted by a wild pitch and a single by Keister to carry him residence to increase the result in 8-1. As the highest of the order got here to bat once more, freshman right-handed pitcher Brayden Jones was despatched in to cease the bleeding, managing to strand the bases loaded to get the Rebels out of a disastrous inning.

The Rebels have been in a position to get a run again with a double by Anthony Calarco and an error by Kevin Keister that introduced him residence, however Savacool was allowed to complete the seventh inning, getting his ninth strikeout to finish his very good outing.

The Terps obtained one other run within the eighth through a stroll, bunt and a throwing error that allowed Hacopian to carry Lorusso in on a sac-fly. Maryland’s lead was 9-2 going into the underside of the eighth, and Kenny Lippman closed out the ultimate two innings to seal the Terps’ win over the Rebels, 9-2.

Each Petrutz and Shliger had three hits within the recreation, and each Terp obtained on base a minimum of as soon as.

Three issues to know

1. Jason Savacool placed on a masterclass. Savacool struggled in his first outing of the 12 months, getting blown up early on. However Friday, Savacool was dominant. Maryland has had no downside placing up runs within the early a part of the season, however its subject has been early beginning pitching woes. Savacool was in a position to preserve a two-run lead going into the seventh, which was important to the Terps’ success.

2. Seventh-inning explosion. The seventh inning was electrical for the Terps, and equally disastrous for the Rebels. Within the high of the inning, the Terps scored 5 runs on 5 hits, together with a grand slam from Petrutz, his second of the 12 months. Maryland hit round, which successfully broke the sport open. Maryland has hit 4 grand slams in 5 video games up to now this season.

3. Ian Petrutz has impressed up to now. In Petrutz’s first 12 months as an on a regular basis starter, he has proven himself to be an enormous offensive asset. He has three residence runs this 12 months, together with two grand slams, and has had a success in all 5 video games. Petrutz has match the cleanup function extraordinarily properly and will very properly lead the group in RBIs when the season is over.