COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Jacson McGowan connected for solo home runs to left field in the ninth and 11th innings, powering Purdue baseball to a 4-3 win in comeback fashion Saturday at Maryland.
McGowan led off the ninth inning with a towering blast to tie the game. With another long ball two frames later, he lifted the Boilermakers (18-16, 6-4 B1G) to their second extra-innings victory of the week and third of the season. They rallied to win after trailing entering the ninth inning for the third time this year.
Harry Shipley also went deep for Purdue, connecting for his second career homer. The three home runs were a season high. McGowan homered in both games of the season-opening doubleheader vs. Western Michigan, but Saturday was his first collegiate multi-homer game.
The Boilermaker bullpen worked seven innings of one-run ball, surrendering just four hits. Dalton Parker (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings and Ross Learnard closed out his third Purdue win of the week with a 1-2-3 frame in the 11th. His 18th consecutive scoreless inning doubled as his fifth save of the season.
Full highlights from #Purdue's 4-3 win at Maryland in comeback fashion to clinch a series victory in College Park. Home runs by Jacson McGowan (2) & Harry Shipley. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/YjjFZIih3S
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 21, 2018
SATURDAY NOTABLES
McGowan hit the first go-ahead or game-tying home run by a Boilermaker in the ninth inning since Sean McHugh in May 2014 at Minnesota. But the Gophers went on to win that game in the 10th. McHugh also accounted for the last game-tying shot in the ninth of a Purdue win, hitting a pinch-hit homer against Indiana State in May 2012 in the final game at Lambert Field. The Boilermakers went on to win on a 10th-ininng walk-off.
Purdue pitchers have surrendered only seven runs in 39 innings this week (1.15 ERA). Learnard has pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-run relief, retiring 15 of the 17 batters he has faced.
With his 10th and 11th homers Saturday, McGowan has joined Kyle Wood as the only Boilermakers to post a double-figure home run total in the BBCOR bat era (2011-present).
Shipley extended his hitting streak in Big Ten play to nine consecutive games and his reached base safely streak to 12 straight games overall.
Entering the week, Purdue had not won in extra innings in a true road game since April 2014 at Michigan State. Tuesday's win at Indiana State came in 10 innings. The Boilermakers have two such wins in the same season for the first time since 2010. Purdue has three extra-innings wins of any kind for the first time since 2012.
The Boilermakers have clinched their fifth victorious weekend of the season. They're 10-0 this season when McGowan has homered.
Hear more from Jacson McGowan as he discusses his multi-homer heroics in #Purdue's comeback win at Maryland.
On the game-tying shot in the 9th: "I tell you what, that ball felt so good off the bat it was unreal." #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/PhVBPuqcJ7-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 21, 2018
McGowan fell behind in the count 0-2 against Maryland reliever John Murphy to begin the ninth inning. He battled back to 2-2 and launched a fastball to left field. After a one-out double by Ben Nisle, UMD (16-22, 3-7 B1G) put first baseman Kevin Biondic on the mound. Biondic retired six consecutive batters before McGowan came up again in the 11th and blasted a home run to the right of the scoreboard in left field.
Trevor Cheaney and Parker both escaped jams to extend the game for Purdue. Cheaney stranded runners on second and third in eighth inning to keep it a one-run affair. Parker hit the first batter of 10th inning. After a sacrifice bunt and intentional walk, he retired the next two batters on an infield fly and strikeout.
Evan Warden's leadoff single in the fifth inning led to the game-tying run. After a sac bunt by Tyler Powers and single by Shipley, Nick Dalesandro stayed out of the double play on a sharp grounder to second base, allowing Warden to score from third.
The go-ahead run for Maryland scored from second base on an infield hit to second in the seventh inning.
Shipley went deep with two outs in the third inning. He accounted for two of the Boilermakers' five hits against UMD starter Hunter Parsons, who worked eight innings of two-run ball.
Gareth Stroh (4+ IP, 1 ER) and Patrick J. Smith (2 2/3 IP, 1 R) teamed up for what was essentially a quality start. Stroh posted three straight zeros after the Terrapins scored twice in the first inning. Smith picked off a runner at first base before he threw his first pitch of the day, erasing a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth.
The series finale is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
The best baths are baths like this one... Right @J_McGowan23? pic.twitter.com/MnkzwwW1gv
-- BTN Student U (@BTNStudentU) April 21, 2018