Pumpkin Power Stuns Purdue in Sweet Sixteen Thriller! UMBC Scores a Historic 10-9 Win!

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Maryland baseball’s Jordan Crosland notched his second home run of the series and fifth of the season to put Maryland on the board and cut Purdue’s lead to 5-2. In response, the Boilermakers brought in redshirt sophomore Thomas Howard to the mound. During Game 1 on Friday, Howard silenced the Terps when he appeared in the bottom of the seventh, only allowing one run.

Freshman Nate Hawton-Henley stepped up to the plate for his third at bat during his first collegiate start in the bottom of the sixth inning. The freshman was facing one out with loaded bases. On his fourth pitch, Hawton-Henley blasted a line drive to shallow center field, recording a two-run RBI single and making it a one-run game.

The freshman’s hit fueled Maryland’s offense to take the lead in a four-run inning. The Terps defeated the Boilermakers on Sunday, 10-9, to avoid the sweep in their first conference series of the season at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium. Purdue took an early lead over the first two innings.

With a runner on second, Sam Flores launched the ball in between right and center field, but center fielder Bud Coombs made a running catch at the warning track. CJ Richmond then blasted one in the same area, but this time it made it over the wall for a two-run home run. The Boilermakers snagged another run in the top of the second with a solo home run to center field by Dylan Drake.