Maryland baseball wins high-scoring series opener vs. Northwestern, 13-8

Maryland baseball took the opening game of a crucial weekend series against Northwestern in a high-scoring affair on Friday afternoon, 13-8.

The Maryland offense responded to its defeat against West Virginia accordingly, putting up 13 runs on 18 hits. Seven Maryland batters had multiple hits, seven different Terps drove in a run and five batters scored multiple runs.

AJ Lee led the way, going 3-for-5 with four RBIs, two runs scored and a double. Randy Bednar went 3-for-6 with a two-run home run, three RBI and three runs scored. Maxwell Costes also drove in two, going 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored.

Hunter Parsons took the hill for the Terps (17-16, 4-3 Big Ten), looking to continue his run of success on the mound. Parsons had a tough outing, giving up seven runs over seven innings pitched, but all of those runs came in two innings, one of which a six-run frame for Northwestern (15-15, 4-3 Big Ten). However, he battled through, striking out seven and giving up eight hits, walking two on 106 pitches, giving Maryland a great shot to take the series opener.

Maryland began the scoring in the first, putting up three. Maxwell Costes doubled in Randy Bednar from first, Justin Vought (who was inserted back into the lineup) singled home Costes and Josh Maguire tripled home Vought.

Maryland tacked on one more in the second as AJ Lee drove in Ben Cowles, who tripled to start the inning, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead. That was the beginning of Lee’s big day at the plate.

Northwestern answered back in the third as Alex Erro tripled home Charlie Maxwell to cut Maryland lead to 4-1.

The fourth inning featured 11 combined runs, starting with a five-spot from Maryland in the top half. The Terps began the inning with six straight hits. Lee’s two-run double was one of three straight RBI doubles for Maryland in the inning; Bednar and Taylor Wright had the others. Costes drove in his second run of the day on an RBI single to put Maryland out in front 9-1, a very comfortable lead.

Northwestern responded in the bottom half, putting up a six-spot of its own. Parsons loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Leo Kaplan capitalized with an RBI fielder’s choice. Two batters later, Dunn hit a two-run single, cutting the lead to 9-4. Erro knocked in another run on an RBI single and Shawn Goosenberg followed with a two-run triple, cutting the lead to 9-7.

Maryland tacked on two more runs, one in the fifth and one in the sixth. Lee recorded his fourth RBI on a single that scored Chris Alleyne, who doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch. The Terps threatened in the sixth, but got one as Caleb Walls legged out a based-loaded infield single to take a 11-7 lead. They left the bases loaded in the inning.

Northwestern got one back in the eighth, recording three straight singles, Jack Dunn finishing it off with an RBI bunt single, his third of the day, cutting the lead to 11-8.

Maryland answered in the ninth, extending their lead to five. Lee walked, his fourth time on base in the game, and came home on a two-run home run by Bednar to make the score 13-8.

John Murphy, despite some trouble in the ninth, shut the door on the Wildcats to give Maryland the win.

The Terps and Wildcats will conclude the series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon ET.