On the first day of the second weekend of college baseball, nearly every major team was in action, including all of D1Baseball's top-10. Three of these 10 — No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 5 Texas A&M and No. 8 TCU — could not overcome their early season tests, each dropping the first game of their respective series.
No. 13 Maryland 9, No. 4 Ole Miss 2
The defending national champions suffered its first loss of the season to the high-octane offense of the Maryland Terrapins. Maryland ace Jason Savacool tossed seven impressive innings, allowing just five hits and two runs, while striking out nine Rebels and walking none.
Ole Miss did not find the same success out of their highly regarded pitching staff, going through five pitchers, three of whom allowed multiple earned runs.
On the offensive side, Friday's biggest firework was set off by Maryland's Ian Petrutz, who pulled an 0-1 off-speed pitch down the line and over the wall for a grand slam. This slam was already the Terrapins' fourth of the season, and highlighted their five-run seventh inning.
Top 7 | We hit GRAND SLAMS
— Maryland Baseball (@TerpsBaseball) February 25, 2023
Petrutz hits his second grand slam of the season and the Terps fourth in their first five games
Terps 7, Rebels 1 pic.twitter.com/lGJM9pPQJq
Reliever Kenny Lippman took control of the final two innings for the Terps, striking out the side in the eighth inning and shutting down the Rebels in the ninth to secure a key 9-2 series-opening win for Maryland.
The two teams will meet again Saturday at 1:30 pm.
NONCONFERENCE: Best nonconference baseball games to watch this weekend
Portland 10, No. 5 Texas A&M 3
The fifth-ranked Aggies early season struggles continued, losing to an unranked foe for the second time in four days. After falling to Lamar on Tuesday, Texas A&M was greeted by one of America's best offenses when Portland came to College Station on Friday night.
The Aggies got a fantastic start out of Nathan Dettmer, who threw 6.1 innings with seven strikeouts, allowing just four hits and one earned run. But, Portland catcher Nich Klemp's go-ahead two-out, two-strike, two-run double gave the Pilots a lead, and Dettmer an unfortunate no-decision.
Klemp's 2 RBI brought Scott and Holcroft home 😈 Pilots take the lead 🥳 pic.twitter.com/wV9vTPwruT
— Portland Pilots Baseball (@PortlandBSB) February 25, 2023
But Portland wasn't done quite yet. In the ninth inning, Klemp got the party started again, with his RBI single scoring the first of seven Pilot runs in the final frame. No Pilot had more than two hits, but clutch hitting and great work by Jack Folkins out of the bullpen propelled Portland to their fourth win of the early season.
TOURNAMENT TIME: Follow the 2023 Round Rock Baseball Classic
Florida State 10, No. 8 TCU 1
Florida State moved to 5-0 on the season with a dominant road win over No. 8 TCU.
The 'Noles used two pitchers to neutralize one of the most talented teams in America. Jackson Baumeister got the start and made the most of his Friday night duties, surrendering just one hit over 5.2 shutout innings. Wyatt Crowell came on in relief and stranded the two runners Baumeister left him. Crowell impressed, finishing the last three innings allowing just one hit and no earned runs.
Crowell shuts down the threat with a strikeout!
— FSU Baseball (@FSUBaseball) February 25, 2023
T7 | FSU 3, TCU 0 pic.twitter.com/zPxKABAKd9
It took until the sixth inning for the game's first run to be scored, after TCU got a gem of their own from starter Ryan Vanderhei. Unfortunately for TCU, their bullpen could not continue the lineup mastery that Vanderhei had, with their final three pitchers all allowing multiple earned runs.
Jaime Ferrer was the offensive star on Friday, finishing a home run shy of the cycle with two RBI and three runs scored for FSU.
