Maryland suffered its second-worst loss of the season on Tuesday against No. 22 West Virginia, as pitching struggles spoiled the Terps’ first ranked matchup of the season.
Now, they’ll open their 11th Big Ten season with a weekend series at home.
Maryland will host Purdue at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium this weekend. The first game will begin on Friday, March 13 at 4:30 p.m. Saturday’s game will start at 2 p.m., and the series finale will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Purdue Boilermakers (10-5, 1-2 Big Ten)
2025 Record: 31-23, 11-19 Big Ten
Last
Friday, Purdue kicked off conference play against Oregon, losing the weekend series 1-2. In the first two games, the Boilermakers kept things competitive, but they lost the series with their largest blowout of the season thus far, 15-4, in just eight innings.
The Boilermakers completely redeemed themselves on Tuesday, though, beating Milwaukee 17-1. Head coach Greg Goff looks to use that winning momentum to earn the team’s second conference win of the year.
Hitters to watch
Ali Banks, junior infielder/outfielder, No. 9 — A transfer from Georgia Highland College, Banks has made a positive impact in the batter’s box for the Boilermakers. The Georgia native currently leads Purdue with a .375 batting average, good enough to rank in the top-15 in the Big Ten. In Tuesday’s blowout against Milwaukee, Banks went 2-for-4 from the plate and notched two RBIs.
Sam Flores, senior infielder, No. 10 — Flores is one of the most consistent pieces of Purdue’s lineup, appearing and starting in every game so far. The senior leads Boilermakers with a 1.060 OPS and four home runs, and his 17 RBIs rank second on the team. Flores hit a two-run homer against Oregon.
Westin Boyle, freshman infielder, No. 6 — In just 15 games, Boyle has skyrocketed to the top of the Boilermakers’ leaderboards, leading the team in RBIs and total hits. The freshman also ranks in the top-15 of the conference with a .371 batting average.
Pitchers to watch
Zach Erdman, senior left-handed pitcher, No. 3 — After three seasons at Texas Tech, Erdman’s made a splash in Lafayette. The typical Saturday starter is Purdue’s most tenured pitcher, going 22 innings on the mound and leading the team with a 1.18 WHIP. Erdman is tied for the 10th-most strikeouts in the Big Ten, with 25 on the year.
Austin Klug, senior right-handed pitcher, No. 33 — Klug’s performances on the mound have been impressive so far. The senior currently holds the best record on the team at 3-1, averaging one run allowed per game.
Strength
Excellence on the road. Eight of Purdue’s 10 victories so far have come away from home. The Terps’ undefeated record at home may be in jeopardy against a team who plays well after traveling.
Weakness
Disjointed defense. Maryland currently ranks third in the Big Ten for stolen bases with 27, and Purdue is tied for sixth in bases stolen allowed. Eager runners like Brayden Martin may be able to slide past Purdue’s fielders.
Things to know
1. Solidified series record. The Terps lead the all-time series against Purdue 14-5 — this dates back to 2012, before they became conference rivals. Maryland is 8-5 at home.
2. Climbing the leaderboards. Several Terps are making their way to the top of the conference leaderboard. Martin is ranked sixth in the Big Ten with a .431 batting average and fifth in runs with 20. Ryan Costello is now second in the conference with nine homers.
3. Improved pitching. Sophomore Lance Williams — Maryland’s usual series-opening pitcher — has been trending towards improvement. Williams’ last appearance against Troy lasted six innings, where he banked 10 strikeouts. In the same game, though, the sophomore allowed four runs and was charged with a loss.
