In the bottom of the fifth inning, Maryland baseball’s Jordan Crosland notched his second home run of the series and fifth of the season to put Maryland on the board and cut Purdue’s lead to 5-2. In response, the Boilermakers brought in redshirt sophomore Thomas Howard to the mound. During Game 1 on Friday, Howard silenced the Terps when he appeared in the bottom of the seventh, only allowing one run.
Freshman Nate Hawton-Henley stepped up to the plate for his third at bat during his first collegiate
start in the bottom of the sixth inning. The freshman was facing one out with loaded bases.
On his fourth pitch, Hawton-Henley blasted a line drive to shallow center field, recording a two-run RBI single and making it a one-run game. The freshman’s hit fueled Maryland’s offense to take the lead in a four-run inning.
The Terps defeated the Boilermakers on Sunday, 10-9, to avoid the sweep in their first conference series of the season at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.
Purdue took an early lead over the first two innings. With a runner on second, Sam Flores launched the ball in between right and center field, but center fielder Bud Coombs made a running catch at the warning track. CJ Richmond then blasted one in the same area, but this time it made it over the wall for a two-run home run.
The Boilermakers snagged another run in the top of the second with a solo home run to center field by Dylan Drake.
The third inning marked the only frame without a recorded run from either team.
Purdue extended its lead in the top of the fourth with a RBI single by Eli Anderson and a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Rogers to bring in the Boilermakers’ fifth run.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Ryan Bailey took the mound in the fifth inning, shutting Purdue out for what would be two scoreless innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, Crosland launched a 409-foot over the center field wall to mark the Terps’ first runs of the game.
“Jordan’s been playing really well and again, you’re just trying to find some consistency and fluidity,” said head coach Matt Swope. “He’s played really well in the past two weeks.”
Purdue’s defense began to crumple after Hawton-Henley’s RBI double in the sixth.
Crosland stepped up to the plate and grounded to shortstop, but an error by Westin Boyle tied the game, leaving two runners on base with no outs.
Trevor Kester-Johnson took the mound, and Brayden Martin drove a grounder down the middle between second and shortstop to bring home Hawton-Henley and give Maryland a one-run lead.
The Boilermakers quickly tied the game with a home run to left field by Ali Banks. After two strikeouts in a row by Bailey, Cristofer Cespedes took the mound.
With the bases loaded, Jackson Bessette blasted a two-RBI double over Ty Kaunas’ glove to take the lead again. But Purdue wasn’t able to hold it for long.
On his first pitch in the bottom of the frame, Rylan Stockton singled up the middle. Then Kaunas walked. Paul Jones II recorded his second double of the game for an RBI. Pinch hitter Michael Iannazzo hit a sacrifice fly, bringing home Kaunas and regaining the advantage again.
After Rogers homered off of right-handed pitcher Jayson Torres, Maryland’s closer Logan Hastings took the mound in the top of the eighth.
Hastings struggled during the series opener against Purdue on Friday night, but he was out for revenge on Sunday. The sophomore recorded two strikeouts and didn’t allow a single run from the Boilermakers.
“I’m more happy about him coming off the short rest but he’s going to be our guy and did a great job right there,” Swope said.
Crosland found a gap in left field to kick off the Terps’ eighth inning hitting. After stealing second, Martin sacrificed a bunt to third base but was called safe after Purdue challenged the ruling. Ryan Costello then fired a grounder to second to bring home Crosland.
A RBI single by Kaunas ultimately gave Maryland the one-run lead to end the game and avoid the sweep.
“Taking away the salvage win is huge because [we’re] moving onto a big week,” said Kaunas. “We got Richmond on Tuesday, and then we got to win that and then go to number one UCLA and get to win the series there.”
Three things to know
1. Maryland’s offense found its groove. The Terps totaled 10 hits during their first two games against Purdue. On Sunday, Maryland blasted 10 hits in one game, its most since March 1.
2. Defense worked hard. The Terps recorded a couple of strong plays to hold the Boilermakers. Coombs’ running catch at the warning track early in the game helped there be one less runner on base during Richmond’s home run. Jones II recorded a perfect double play after snagging a hard line drive to him at first and tagging Flores to end the eighth inning.
3. Maryland’s bullpen held strong. Maryland recorded a total of six strikeouts, only allowing four runs after the fifth inning between its three relievers.
