COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Rutgers baseball brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, but came up short in a 5-2 road loss to Maryland Friday at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium. It was the opener a three-game series between the teams.
 
The Scarlet Knights (24-21, 7-12) had seven hits in the game, as junior Luke Bowerbank had two with an RBI single. Redshirt freshman Dan DiGeorgio extended his hitting streak to 13 games and drew two walks. However, the offense left nine runners on base.
 
Senior John O'Reilly (5-3) made his 48^th career start and went 5.2 innings without allowing a walk and leaving five runners stranded. Redshirt sophomore Tommy Genuario followed with 1.1 innings of relief, while sophomores Tevin Murray and Kyle Gerace retired two batters apiece to keep the team within striking distance late.
 
For Maryland (22-27, 7-11), Hunter Parsons (5-2) earned the win by pitching seven innings with one earned run allowed, striking out seven.
 
The Scarlet Knights jumped on top right away in the top of the first. DiGeorgio began with a single up the middle, stole second and advanced to third on an error. Junior Nick Matera then picked up an RBI with grounder to shortstop with the infield back.
 
Answering, the Terrapins connected for two-out RBI hits in the first and second to take the lead, 2-1. The game would stay there as O'Reilly and Parsons matched zeroes on the board in the middle innings. O'Reilly helped his cause defensively by extending off the mound to snag a chopper and strand a pair in scoring position in the fourth.
 
The next runs of the game arrived in the bottom of the sixth with Maryland used two doubles, a single and a sacrifice fly to take a 4-1 advantage.
 
RU chipped back in the top of the seventh. Fifth-year senior Chris Folinusz coaxed a leadoff walk, with freshman Mike Nyisztor laying down a bunt single to put two aboard. The next two went down, but Bowerbank salvaged the rally by shooting an RBI single up the middle. The bases were later left loaded.
 
The home team regained the run in the last of the seventh on its third two-out RBI single.
 
In the ninth, both sophomore Kevin Welsh and Bowerbank recorded singles to bring the tying run to the plate. Maryland would escape, though, after centerfielder Zach Jancarski made a sliding catch to rob a hit and Grant Burleson collected a strikeout for his first save of the season.
 
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m.

RBIs live up the middle! Bowerbank comes through with a single to score Folinusz & now has 12 knocked in with two outs this season.

4-2 MD T7 pic.twitter.com/NeKHTMfflo

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 12, 2018

And Harris comes on to make a sliding catch! O'Reilly then caps the 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout.

2-1 MD T6 pic.twitter.com/moLx5lTuFe

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 11, 2018

Folinusz robs an extra-base hit!

2-1 MD B5 pic.twitter.com/Df5jFsvxfB

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 11, 2018

Nice play! O'Reilly extends off the mound to snag a chopper, throw to first & leave two in scoring position.

2-1 MD T5 pic.twitter.com/3p7oTRmG9M

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 11, 2018

O'Reilly induces a tailor-made double play to post a zero in the third.

2-1 MD T4 pic.twitter.com/6zlyvun5EL

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 11, 2018

DiGeorgio shoots a single up the middle and we are underway in College Park!

0-0 T1 pic.twitter.com/PKuNN6yvDD

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 11, 2018

 
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding baseball, follow the program on Twitter (@RutgersBaseball), Instagram (@rutgersbaseball), Facebook (/BaseballRU) and Snapchat (rutgersbaseball). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.