Maryland’s offense has been on a historic tear to start this season. 

The Dirty Terps couldn’t exactly replicate Friday’s 17-run explosion against Princeton in Saturday’s matchup against the Tigers. But Maryland’s offense once again posted a double-digit run total — the fifth time in the past seven games — in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. 

Offensive outbursts have now become common for the Terps, and it was unsurprisingly the deciding factor, in a 10-7 victory over Princeton at Wake Forest’s David F. Couch Ballpark. 

Maryland was in control for the majority of the game, building up a six-run lead over the Tigers heading into the bottom of the ninth. After graduate student relief pitcher Jack Wren looked solid in two innings of work out of the bullpen, head coach Matt Swope made the decision to bring in freshman Ryan Bailey.

Bailey immediately gave up a home run to Tommy Googins, which was followed by RBI singles from Caden Shapiro and Dylan Zdunek, pulling the Tigers within three.

Suddenly in a save situation with the tying run at the plate, Swope turned to senior Andrew Johnson, in the hopes of recording two outs. Johnson did just that, striking out back-to-back batters to secure Maryland’s second-straight win over the Tigers. It was Johnson’s first save of the season.

Making his first collegiate start, freshman shortstop Colin Gibbs opened the scoring for the Dirty Terps with a single into center field in the second inning. He later capped off Maryland’s scoring with another RBI base hit in the eighth inning, a frame that proved significant for the Terps.

Senior starting pitcher Omar Melendez looked shaky in the first inning, allowing Princeton’s first three baserunners to reach base and allowing the Tigers to grab an early 1-0 lead on a Jake Bold single.

But it was a quality start for Melendez the rest of the way. The southpaw put together six strong innings of work on 100 pitches. He allowed three earned runs and struck out five Tigers batters en route to earning the win.

On the other side of the ball, Alex Calarco and Aden Hill’s hot streaks continued in the team’s second game this weekend.

Hill picked up where he left off on Friday by knocking a two-out RBI single to put the Terps ahead in the top of the third. Maryland maintained that lead for the rest of the game. 

The junior right fielder added to the Terps’ advantage one inning later, when he grabbed another run-scoring base hit, this time to left field. The VCU transfer also scored a run and walked on Saturday, in addition to his two hits and pair of RBIs. Hill has now driven in seven runs this weekend, as the Terps still have two games left to play.

Calarco drove in two runs of his own in the fourth with a base hit. This hit extended his NCAA Division I-leading RBI total to 24. It is also Calarco’s eighth-straight game with an RBI. 

The three-run fourth inning — powered by Hill and Calarco — gave Maryland a commanding 6-2 advantage.

Senior center fielder Elijah Lambros also contributed to Saturday’s parade of RBI hits, as he tallied two of his own. The first came in the fourth inning — immediately after Hill’s base — when Lambros joined in on a two-out rally with a run-scoring single.

Then, with the bases-loaded in the eighth inning, Princeton’s Elliot Eaton plunked Lambros in the helmet  to bring a run in as part of a crucial four-run frame. 

The top of the eighth ultimately proved to be the difference, as the Terps escaped with a three-run victory, following a tense three-run ninth inning for the Tigers.

Maryland now has a quick turnaround as it prepares to play No. 12 Wake Forest in its second game on Saturday; first pitch for that game is scheduled for 3 p.m. 

The Terps will finish their four-game weekend set with another game against the Demon Deacons at 1 p.m. Nate Schwartz will once again be on the call for both games for MBN.