COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Highlighted by striking out the 3-4-5 hitters in order in the seventh inning, Tanner Andrews matched his season high with nine Ks over seven innings of one-run ball to lead Purdue baseball to a 7-1 series-opening win at Maryland on Friday.
The Boilermakers (17-16, 5-4 B1G) scored four times in the second inning and blew it open on Alec Olund's three-run double in the top of the ninth. Evan Warden and Nick Dalesandro delivered RBI doubles in the early rally.
Five of Andrews' nine strikeouts came against the final eight batters he faced. The senior gave up a season-high 11 hits, but didn't surrender a run until the sixth inning. Approaching 100 pitches as he went back out for the bottom of the seventh with the heart of UMD's lineup due, he was clocked at 95 m.p.h. on the radar gun in the frame while blowing away the Terrapins' three hitters.
Dating back to April 2017, Purdue has won five straight series openers on the road in Big Ten play with Andrews (4-3) on the mound. He has earned the win in four of those five starts.
Tanner Andrews discusses his 7-inning, 9-strikeout performance in Friday's 7-1 win at Maryland. Tanner struck out UMD's 3-4-5 hitters in order in the 7th inning. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/4YCqA5tzSb
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 21, 2018
Ross Leanard retired five of the six batters he faced while closing out the win for his fourth save. He induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play in the bottom of the eighth and struck out UMD's top hitter Nick Dunn for the second out of the ninth with a runner at third base. That allowed Learnard to extend his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 17.
The Purdue pitching staff has surrendered just four runs over the last four games after conceding 40 in the two losses to Minnesota last weekend.
Ben Nisle, Harry Shipley and Owen Jansen all scored from first base on a double Friday. Nisle and Jansen did so with less than two outs in an inning.
Skyler Hunter and Jacson McGowan both reached base safely four times. Hunter singled three times to go along with a first-inning walk, his first base on balls since March 10. His RBI single in the second inning capped Purdue's four-run rally. McGowan singled twice and was hit by a pitch twice.
Full highlights from Friday's 7-1 win at Maryland. The #Boilermakers have won each of their last 5 Big Ten road games with Tanner Andrews on the mound. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/dAbKx3rJq0
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 21, 2018
Harry Shipley singled and walked twice. He has hit safely in eight straight Big Ten games and reached base safely in 11 consecutive games overall.
Warden's RBI double to left field opened the scoring and ended an 0-for-16 skid for the third baseman. But Dalesandro's missile into the left-center gap was the big hit of the frame, with it going for a two-out, two-run double. Olund also went gapping to left center with the bases-loaded in the ninth inning.
Dalesandro and McGowan teamed up for the key defensive play of the game. With runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the second, Maryland (16-21, 3-6 B1G) leadoff man AJ Lee tried to bunt for a hit. Dalesandro pounced on the ball but had no time to set his feet for the throw. McGowan scooped the throw off the turf to end the frame.
Andrews pitched the majority of the game from the stretch after UMD's leadoff hitter reached base safely in five of the first six innings. But the only two-out hit he surrendered came from Lee in the sixth inning. Andrews was able to strand 10 runners, including seven in scoring position. He did not issue a walk after the second inning. His nine strikeouts were a career high in Big Ten play.
Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.