WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Paul Toetz hit a game-tying two-run homer in the fifth inning but No. 14 Maryland responded with a seven-run surge over the sixth and seventh innings to defeat Purdue baseball 18-7 Friday at Alexander Field.
The Terrapins (44-10, 18-5 B1G) clinched at least a share of the Big Ten Conference title, their first since joining the league for the 2014-15 school year. Maryland also clinched the No. 1 seed in next week's eight-team Big Ten Tournament in Omaha.
Still in eighth place in the standings, Purdue (29-19, 9-12 B1G) remains alive in the Big Ten Tournament chase going into Saturday's regular-season finale. Northwestern (9-14 B1G) and Nebraska (9-14) are chasing Indiana (10-13) and Purdue. The Hoosiers and Boilermakers would both need to lose Saturday to open the door for either the Wildcats or Huskers to move up into the top eight with a victory. Northwestern holds a potential head-to-head tiebreaker with IU, but the Hoosiers have the head-to-head tiebreaker vs. Nebraska.
Because Purdue has played two fewer conference games than the three other teams, tiebreakers will not be applicable. Big Ten winning percentage will dictate the final standings.
The Boilermakers did not go quietly for the second day in a row vs. Maryland, scoring twice in the eighth inning and stranding the bases loaded after cutting UMD's lead to 13-7. Maryland scored six in the ninth to make the final score more lopsided.
Troy Viola posted his fifth two-double game of the season, teaming up with CJ Valdez and Thompson to give Purdue a pair of two-double innings. Viola leads the Boilermakers with 18 two-baggers.
Toetz went deep into Purdue's bullpen in left field in the bottom of the fifth for his fourth home run of the season and first as a Boilermaker at Alexander Field.
Thursday, Maryland raced out to a 13-0 lead with three doubles and three home runs over the first five innings. Friday, the Terps scored 16 runs over the final five innings. They connected for eight extra-base hits – three doubles and five homers – during the offensive onslaught. UMD hit three homers in the ninth inning.
Wyatt Wendell kept Purdue in the game early, surrendering only one hit to the first 14 batters he faced. But the Boilermakers committed a pair of errors in the outfield in the fifth inning as the Terps scored three times and chased Wendell, whose pitch count escalated quickly via six walks and four strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.
Saturday's series and regular-season finale is set for 1 p.m. ET. Purdue's Senior Day ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. Eleven seniors will be recognized for their contributions to the program.
If the Boilermakers can win Saturday coupled with an Indiana loss at Iowa, they would move up into seventh place and avoid playing red-hot Maryland again in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday. The Terrapins have won 10 of their last 11 games.
The Terrapins (44-10, 18-5 B1G) clinched at least a share of the Big Ten Conference title, their first since joining the league for the 2014-15 school year. Maryland also clinched the No. 1 seed in next week's eight-team Big Ten Tournament in Omaha.
Still in eighth place in the standings, Purdue (29-19, 9-12 B1G) remains alive in the Big Ten Tournament chase going into Saturday's regular-season finale. Northwestern (9-14 B1G) and Nebraska (9-14) are chasing Indiana (10-13) and Purdue. The Hoosiers and Boilermakers would both need to lose Saturday to open the door for either the Wildcats or Huskers to move up into the top eight with a victory. Northwestern holds a potential head-to-head tiebreaker with IU, but the Hoosiers have the head-to-head tiebreaker vs. Nebraska.
Because Purdue has played two fewer conference games than the three other teams, tiebreakers will not be applicable. Big Ten winning percentage will dictate the final standings.
The Boilermakers did not go quietly for the second day in a row vs. Maryland, scoring twice in the eighth inning and stranding the bases loaded after cutting UMD's lead to 13-7. Maryland scored six in the ninth to make the final score more lopsided.
Cam Thompson doubled and homered, connecting for his team-leading 12th long ball of the season on a 420-foot blast to center field to open the eighth inning. He leads the team with 28 extra-base hits and has an opportunity to finish the season with a 1.000 OPS. He'll enter the regular-season finale with a 1.025 clip.💥 Barrel Up Brotherhood 🚀
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 20, 2022
💣 @Paul_Toetz x @Troy_Viola08 ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/yqPFC061QL
Troy Viola posted his fifth two-double game of the season, teaming up with CJ Valdez and Thompson to give Purdue a pair of two-double innings. Viola leads the Boilermakers with 18 two-baggers.
Toetz went deep into Purdue's bullpen in left field in the bottom of the fifth for his fourth home run of the season and first as a Boilermaker at Alexander Field.
Thursday, Maryland raced out to a 13-0 lead with three doubles and three home runs over the first five innings. Friday, the Terps scored 16 runs over the final five innings. They connected for eight extra-base hits – three doubles and five homers – during the offensive onslaught. UMD hit three homers in the ninth inning.
Wyatt Wendell kept Purdue in the game early, surrendering only one hit to the first 14 batters he faced. But the Boilermakers committed a pair of errors in the outfield in the fifth inning as the Terps scored three times and chased Wendell, whose pitch count escalated quickly via six walks and four strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.
Saturday's series and regular-season finale is set for 1 p.m. ET. Purdue's Senior Day ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. Eleven seniors will be recognized for their contributions to the program.
If the Boilermakers can win Saturday coupled with an Indiana loss at Iowa, they would move up into seventh place and avoid playing red-hot Maryland again in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday. The Terrapins have won 10 of their last 11 games.
🙂😃😁 for @PurdueStein's new rig. #BoilerUp 📸@Landon_Milo @Jackson_Jett3 @Pablodle7 @NolanDaniel25 https://t.co/KGbR6vgpwO pic.twitter.com/OvhbCauvfh
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 20, 2022