COLLEGE PARK, Md. – In a rubber game slugfest that saw the bullpens surrender a combined 12 runs on 11 hits, Purdue baseball was unable to complete the comeback in a 10-8 loss at Maryland on Sunday.
Couper Cornblum came up a few feet shy of hitting a game-tying grand slam with two outs in the eighth inning, settling for a two-run double on his rocket off the top of the wall in left field. An inning early, Paul Toetz had also doubled off the top of the wall in right field while driving in a pair.
Trailing 5-1 after five innings, the Boilermakers (19-20, 8-7 B1G) scored seven times over three innings against the UMD bullpen. But the Terrapins (25-15, 8-4 B1G) matched the visitors' run total in the bottom half of the sixth and seventh innings.
Saturday's game was completed Sunday morning after it was suspended due to lightning and heavy rains showers in the middle of the seventh inning. Purdue threatened with runners on second and third with one out in the ninth inning, but UMD successfully closed out the 6-5 victory. The two wins Sunday gave Maryland its 19th consecutive Big Ten series win dating back April 2021.
Mike Bolton Jr. stole his 70th career base in the third inning of the rubber game, tying Dave Scheitlin's program record that has stood since 1991. Bolton is 24-for-27 on stolen base attempts this season and 70-for-80 in his career.
Cornblum reached base safely in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings as the Boilermakers mounted their rally. He helped ignite rallies with a leadoff walk in the sixth and base hit in front of Toetz's double the following frame. With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the eighth, the center fielder hit the first pitch he saw off the wall in left center. Bolton was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first base.
Another costly out on the base paths came in the sixth inning when Toetz was picked off at second base as the trail runner.
Jake Parr doubled and scored in second inning. Connor Caskenette delivered an RBI single as the comeback began in the sixth inning. Those hits extended the lengthy streaks both players are currently riding.
STREAKS EXTENDED SUNDAY
• Caskenette – 17-game on-base streak; 10-game hit streak; 13-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Parr – 13-game on-base streak; 10-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Toetz – 11-game on-base streak; 9-game hit streak
• Bolton – 8-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Cornblum – 6-game hit streak
Jake Jarvis and Bolton both walked three times in the rubber game. Jarvis' RBI single in the top of the second accounted for Purdue's first run of the game.
The Boilermakers were able to only post two zeros against UMD in the finale of the series. The Terrapins played with the lead for most of the game after scoring four times over the first three innings. For the series, Purdue did not trail until after the fourth inning of game 2 but did not hold the lead again after that juncture either.
Singles from Ty Gill and Cornblum gave the Boilermakers an opportunity to tie the game in the ninth inning of game 2 as it was completed Sunday morning. Both hits came on humpback line drives to center field, preventing Gill from having an opportunity to score from second on Cornblum's hit. After Cornblum stole second, Nigel Belgrave was behind in the count 2-1 on Caskenette when the UMD reliever found his slider. He used the pitch to induce five swinging strikes over the next seven pitches, stranding the runners and closing out the game.
Purdue begins a season-long nine-game homestand Tuesday vs. Valparaiso. First pitch at Alexander Field is set for 6 p.m. ET as another $3 midweek matchup.
Couper Cornblum came up a few feet shy of hitting a game-tying grand slam with two outs in the eighth inning, settling for a two-run double on his rocket off the top of the wall in left field. An inning early, Paul Toetz had also doubled off the top of the wall in right field while driving in a pair.
Trailing 5-1 after five innings, the Boilermakers (19-20, 8-7 B1G) scored seven times over three innings against the UMD bullpen. But the Terrapins (25-15, 8-4 B1G) matched the visitors' run total in the bottom half of the sixth and seventh innings.
Saturday's game was completed Sunday morning after it was suspended due to lightning and heavy rains showers in the middle of the seventh inning. Purdue threatened with runners on second and third with one out in the ninth inning, but UMD successfully closed out the 6-5 victory. The two wins Sunday gave Maryland its 19th consecutive Big Ten series win dating back April 2021.
Mike Bolton Jr. stole his 70th career base in the third inning of the rubber game, tying Dave Scheitlin's program record that has stood since 1991. Bolton is 24-for-27 on stolen base attempts this season and 70-for-80 in his career.
The Terrapins hit four home runs Sunday, matching the most by a Purdue opponent this season, and eight in the series. Maryland scored five of its final six runs via the long ball Sunday. Bolton accounted for Purdue's lone home run of the weekend.7⃣0⃣ for @Mike_Bolton01 to match our all-time record. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/cc313zgeik
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 23, 2023
Cornblum reached base safely in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings as the Boilermakers mounted their rally. He helped ignite rallies with a leadoff walk in the sixth and base hit in front of Toetz's double the following frame. With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the eighth, the center fielder hit the first pitch he saw off the wall in left center. Bolton was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first base.
Another costly out on the base paths came in the sixth inning when Toetz was picked off at second base as the trail runner.
Jake Parr doubled and scored in second inning. Connor Caskenette delivered an RBI single as the comeback began in the sixth inning. Those hits extended the lengthy streaks both players are currently riding.
STREAKS EXTENDED SUNDAY
• Caskenette – 17-game on-base streak; 10-game hit streak; 13-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Parr – 13-game on-base streak; 10-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Toetz – 11-game on-base streak; 9-game hit streak
• Bolton – 8-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Cornblum – 6-game hit streak
Jake Jarvis and Bolton both walked three times in the rubber game. Jarvis' RBI single in the top of the second accounted for Purdue's first run of the game.
The Boilermakers were able to only post two zeros against UMD in the finale of the series. The Terrapins played with the lead for most of the game after scoring four times over the first three innings. For the series, Purdue did not trail until after the fourth inning of game 2 but did not hold the lead again after that juncture either.
Singles from Ty Gill and Cornblum gave the Boilermakers an opportunity to tie the game in the ninth inning of game 2 as it was completed Sunday morning. Both hits came on humpback line drives to center field, preventing Gill from having an opportunity to score from second on Cornblum's hit. After Cornblum stole second, Nigel Belgrave was behind in the count 2-1 on Caskenette when the UMD reliever found his slider. He used the pitch to induce five swinging strikes over the next seven pitches, stranding the runners and closing out the game.
Purdue begins a season-long nine-game homestand Tuesday vs. Valparaiso. First pitch at Alexander Field is set for 6 p.m. ET as another $3 midweek matchup.