The Terps take home the first of the three-game weekend series.
Maryland baseball extended its winning streak to four games, defeating Rutgers, 4-3, in its weekend series opener in Piscataway, New Jersey.
The Terps benefited greatly from monster pitching performances by Omar Melendez and Kenny Lippman. A four-run sixth inning was all the Terps needed to get the victory on Friday.
The Scarlet Knights struck first in the opening inning when Ty Doucette hit an RBI single. That 1-0 lead would hold through the next three frames, as Melendez and Rutgers’ left-hander Justin Sinibaldi held their ground in the early going.
After allowing the one run in the first, Melendez proceeded to work four straight scoreless innings, continuously escaping tight jams. There was only one issue Maryland grappled with: Sinibaldi simultaneously held the Terps scoreless through five frames.
The Terps finally capitalized on a scoring opportunity in the sixth. The first two Terps up to bat got on base and Eddie Hacopian crushed a two-run double to bring in Devin Russell and Elijah Lambros. The Terps went on to score two additional runs in the sixth and extend their lead to three, courtesy of a Sam Hojnar RBI groundout and a Jacob Orr sacrifice fly.
Melendez notched two outs in the seventh inning before Rutgers’ clutch two-out hitting was put on full display. Doucette ripped off a two-run double, bringing Rutgers to within one run and chasing Melendez out of the game.
In his 6 ⅔ innings, Melendez gave up eight hits, three earned runs, walked three batters and struck out five. It was a solid showing in his first Friday night start for the Terps. He was immediately relieved by Kenny Lippman.
Lippman quickly got Maryland out of the seventh inning and worked a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth. He then proceeded to shut the door on the Scarlet Knights, pitching the final inning as well. On the evening, he allowed just two hits and earned the save for the Terps.
Three things to know
1. Melendez had a strong day. Maryland head coach Matt Swope made an interesting move on Friday. Melendez, who began the season in the bullpen and earned the start the last two Saturdays, took the Friday night role. The left-hander kept Maryland in the game, allowing the Terps to take the lead in the sixth.
2. Three straight Big Ten wins. For the first time this season, Maryland won three straight Big Ten contests. The Terps also won their first Friday game in over a month, the previous coming on March 29 against Michigan.
3. The sixth inning was all the Terps needed. Maryland put up four runs on Rutgers’ pitching in the sixth inning. After the Terps went scoreless through the initial five, the four runs in the sixth was all that was needed to seize the victory.