The Terps open the series vs. Purdue with a 10-8 loss. The offense looked stagnant compared to earlier this week but figured it out in the seventh inning. However, their rally fell short as Purdue’s offense kept scoring.

Jason Savacool started the game in a groove, striking out two in a 1-2-3 first inning. The second inning was rough for the Terp’s defense. After committing two errors and allowing a walk, the bases were loaded with two outs. Purdue’s offense would get on the board first after an infield single brought one run across.

Bobby Zmarzlak was able to answer in the bottom of the second with an opposite-field home run, making the score 1-1. Purdue left-fielder Mike Bolton Jr. answered in the third with a solo homer of his own to give the Boilermakers a 2-1 lead. They were able to extend their lead further with an RBI single from Jake Parr.

Savacool would be taken out in the sixth after allowing two more runs. Savacool finished with 6 ER, 5 strikeouts, and 3 walks through 5.1 innings.

Eddie Hacopian started off the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer to center, his fifth of the season. The momentum was short-lived as Purdue was once again able to extend their lead through RBI singles. A grounder up the middle scored one, making the score 8-2 in the top of the seventh.

The Maryland offense came alive in the seventh and significantly cut the lead. After loading the bases with no outs, Matt Shaw drew a walk to bring in one run. The next batter, Ian Petrutz hit a single to drive in two more. Hacopian continued his big day with a double into right field that barely stayed fair. This drew in another run, and there were still no outs. They were not done there, Elijah Lambros drove in one more to cut the lead to one. The score sat at 8-7 going into the eighth.

Purdue extended the lead again in the eighth and they did so with two outs. This was not new as the Boilermakers pulled together multiple two-out rallies throughout the game. After a few singles, the score was 10-7 and this settled down the rowdy Maryland crowd.

The frustration boiled over in the eighth for head coach Rob Vaughn. After a check swing was ruled a strikeout, Vaughn ran on the field and was ejected after yelling at the first base umpire.

“It’s a judgment call, it was close… it was a big spot in the game and I stood up for my guys,” said Vaughn. “We’ll see if I was right or not.”

Even without their head coach, this team did not quit. With two outs, Petrutz doubled to left-center which scored Shaw all the way from first. The lead was cut to two going into the ninth.

With a runner on third in the bottom of the ninth, Kevin Keister lined out to end the game with a final score of 10-8.

The loss puts the Terps at 23-15. They will be back at the “Bob” again tomorrow where they will look to avoid a series loss.