Kenny Lippman trotted back to the Maryland dugout after firing his ninth strikeout of the game, his highest tally in a Maryland uniform.

The smooth performance from Maryland’s ace led the Terrapins (7-3) to an 8-3 win against the Bryant Bulldogs (1-5) on Friday night at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium to kick off the weekend series.

Not only was Lippman’s strikeout count the highest in his Maryland career, but he also threw a season-high six innings and has gone an inning further in each of his three starts.

“That’s what you work hard in the preseason for,” head coach Matt Swope said. “Guys are really responsible for that… working hard in the weight room, building their arm up, and then coming back out here, you really only get two or three weekends to try to get that going.”

In his six innings, the graduate student allowed just one run to cross the plate, an unearned run in the fifth inning, lowering his season ERA to 1.20. He gave up three hits and three walks with one hit-by-pitch.

“I felt like stuff was a lot sharper today, a lot cleaner, more through the zone,” Lippman said. “A lot more settled than I have been in the last two starts, so just getting more comfortable.”

Trystan Sarcone pitched the rest of the way and gave up two runs. The lefty faced some trouble in the ninth inning, but the Terps turned a double play to close out the game unscathed.

“Any time you feel really good and confident about who you got going on a Friday, I think it gives that little extra boost to the rest of the team as well,” Swope said.

On the offensive side, Eddie Hacopian, who has adjusted nicely to the top of the batting order, had three hits and drove in three runs. His younger brother, Chris, drove in two himself and nearly added more with a would-be home run that was robbed by Bryant centerfielder Gavin Greger.

Greger and Gavin Noriega, who led the top of the Bryant batting order, respectively, have both had impressive starts to the young season. But for Lippman, he tries to stay level-headed no matter who he faces.

“I try and stay away from that stuff,” Lippman said of the hot starts to opposing players. “I don’t try to get too caught up in what the other team is doing.”

With the offense humming all throughout the night, the Terps scored in each of the first five innings and provided support to the strong Lippman outing. Eight of the nine starters for the Terps recorded a hit, and five of them got at least one RBI.

“When you do that on a Friday night and you get a good start, you’re just going to wear the other team down and we didn’t give them much of an opportunity to build something up,” Swope said.

Maryland continues the series on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET from The Bob.