Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short at Maryland

Sunday, May 13

College Park, Md.

1:00 PM

Rutgers University

24-23, 7-14

Maryland

24-27, 9-11

Rutgers

Maryland

May 13 | Baseball

Box Score Statistics

Brito with a career-high six strikeouts in relief

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Rutgers baseball scored two in the top of the ninth and had the bases loaded, but Maryland escaped with an 8-6 win in the series finale Sunday at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium. The Scarlet Knights (24-23, 7-14) and Terrapins (24-27, 9-11) each had 11 hits in the game.

Junior Luke Bowerbank started the ninth with a single to right-center and stood pat until two outs. Classmate Nick Matera lined a single through the left side and fifth-year senior Chris Folinusz reached on a wild pitch following a strikeout to extend the inning, as an error allowed Bowerbank to cross. Next up, Harris connected for an RBI single to make it 8-6 and put the tying run on. Junior Carmen Sclafani was hit by a pitch against a new pitcher to load the bases. Senior Milo Freeman fouled off four pitches with two strikes before driving the eighth offering of the at bat to right-center. However, right fielder Marty Costes flagged down the well-struck ball in the gap to end the game.

Freeman had two hits and two RBIs on the day, while Harris also drove in a pair, including a solo homer in the second inning. Freshman Mike Nyisztor and Folinusz also had multiple-hit performances.

On the mound, junior Serafino Brito struck out a career-high six batters over 4.1 innings, which was the right-hander's longest outing of the season.

Harris started the scoring by turning around a 2-1 fastball in the top of the second for his 13^th career long ball. The Terrapins, though, countered with one in the bottom half, added five in the third and tallied one more in the fourth to open up a 7-1 advantage.

In the sixth, Folinusz delivered a single through the left side to score Nyisztor. Rutgers would rally in the eighth as well to chip away. Folinusz had another hit and Harris walked to put two aboard. Following a two-out error, Freeman laced a two-run double to cut it to 7-4.

Maryland used an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth for insurance. RU rallied in the ninth, but John Murphy earned his fourth save. Mark DiLuia (3-4) picked up the win for the home team and graduate student Karl Blum (0-5) took the loss.

The Scarlet Knights return to Bainton Field next week for four home games, starting Tuesday at 1 p.m. versus Monmouth.

Freeman delivers! A two-out, two-run double cuts the deficit to three. Now 110 RBIs with two down for the Scarlet Knights this season.

7-4 MD T8 pic.twitter.com/iNlEegHKKS
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 13, 2018

HIGH, FAR & GONE! Harris turns on a fastball for his 13th career homer. Scarlet Knights take the lead.

1-0 RU T2 pic.twitter.com/S4yRXgHwto
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 13, 2018

DiGeorgio makes a nice play up the middle to help Blum work a scoreless first!

0-0 T2 pic.twitter.com/Ebf7ZhLoDX
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 13, 2018

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