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Purdue Set for First Series vs Maryland Since 2023

The Boilermakers play inside the Beltway for weekend No. 2 of Big Ten play.

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by Ben Turner

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Purdue (10-5, 1-2 Big Ten) at Maryland (10-6, 0-0 Big Ten)
March 13-15 / Stream B1G+
Series Opener: Friday, March 13 at 6 p.m. ET
Middle Game: Saturday, March 14 at 2 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, March 15 at 1 p.m. ET
Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium / College Park, Md.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Cole Van Assen (Jr, RHP) vs. UMD’s Lance Williams (So, RHP)
Saturday: Zach Erdman (Sr, LHP) vs. Evan Smith (R-So, LHP)
Sunday: Jarvis Evans (Sr, LHP) vs. UMD’s Jake Yeager (So, RHP)

SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Maryland leads 14-5
All-Time in College Park: Maryland leads 7-5
Purdue Under Greg Goff vs. UMD: Maryland leads 7-1
Last Series: Maryland won 2 of 3 (April 2023 in College Park)
Purdue’s Last Series Win: Purdue swept a 3-game set (April 2018 in College Park)
First Meeting: Maryland 11, Purdue 1 (February 2012 in Greenville, N.C.)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. 
– Purdue Baseball alternates home series and weekend road trips throughout Big Ten Conference play this season and weekend No. 2 of the league schedule takes the Boilermakers east for their first series with Maryland since April 2023.

First pitch at Turtle Smith Stadium is set for 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

The Terrapins are beginning their conference schedule Friday after being among the seven teams to have their open weekends in the league schedule during the first weekend of March. The Boilermakers’ open weekend in Big Ten play is not until the first weekend of May when they host Murray State at Alexander Field.

This spring marks the 10-year anniversary of Purdue’s first trip to the East Coast for Big Ten play. Since the league’s East Coast expansion in time for the 2014-15 school year, 12 of the 18 meetings with Maryland have been played in College Park. Besides the four West Coast teams that joined the league last year, UMD’s five games in West Lafayette are the fewest of any Big Ten team since 2015.

Excluding league newcomer USC, Maryland is the only Big Ten team the Boilers have not played since the start of the 2024 campaign.

PURDUE’S BIG TEN TRIPS TO THE EAST COAST
Maryland & Rutgers joined the conference during the 2014-15 school year
• April 2016: Lost 2 of 3 at Maryland (won on Friday)
• April 2017: Lost 2 of 3 at Rutgers (won on Friday)
• April 2018: Swept a 3-game series at Maryland
• April 2019: Lost 2 of 3 at Rutgers (won on Saturday)
• May 2021: Lost all 3 games of a series at Maryland
• April 2023: Lost 2 of 3 at Maryland (won on Friday)
• April 2024: Swept a 3-game series at Rutgers
Combined Record: 10-11

Purdue is 0-4 in East Coast rubber games since 2016, the primary reason why its combined road record vs. Maryland and Rutgers is a game under .500. But the Boilermakers have also enjoyed a pair of East Coast series sweeps – both coming in even-numbered years and featuring memorable extra-innings victories. Both sweeps also helped ignite notable win streaks. The 2018 team’s program-record 13-game win streak began with a sweep at Maryland. Six years later, victories two, three and four of the 2024 team’s program-record 11-game win streak in Big Ten play were as part of an sweep at Rutgers.

Even while dropping two of three in its last visit to College Park in April 2023, Purdue’s series-opening victory was the first on a Friday by a visiting team at Turtle Smith Stadium since May 2019.

However, none of the current Boilermakers have previously played against Maryland (in a Purdue uniform at least) or at Turtle Smith Stadium. Cole Van Assen is Purdue’s longest-tenured player and his freshman season was 2024.

Turtle Smith Stadium is regarded as a very hitter friendly ballpark while featuring among the smallest dimensions in the Big Ten. The Terps have outscored the opposition 77-40 while winning their first five home games, posting a double-figure run total in every game. Maryland also has series wins on the road at UNC Wilmington and Troy, both opponents winning at least 34 games last season.

Redshirt freshman Ryan Costello, a transfer from LSU, has powered the offense with nine home runs and 27 RBI while having more walks than strikeouts in 66 at-bats. He has accounted for 35% of UMD’s 26 home runs over the first 16 games, ranking second in the Big Ten. Ty Kaunas joined Purdue’s Westin Boyle as freshmen on the Brooks Wallace Award watch list (shortstop of the year award).

WEEKEND #2 OF BIG TEN PLAY

• Purdue (1-2) at Maryland (0-0)
• Oregon (2-1) at Indiana (1-2)
• Ohio State (0-3) at Washington (2-1)
• Michigan (0-0) at UCLA (3-0)
• USC (3-0) at Northwestern (0-0)
• Iowa (0-0) at Penn State (0-0)
• Minnesota (0-0) at Illinois (0-3)
• Michigan State (0-3) at Rutgers (0-0)
• Maine at Nebraska (3-0) – Non-Conference

ACTIVE STREAKS
Brandon Rogers: 9-game on-base; 8-game on-base in Big Ten play (since April 27, 2025)
Aaron Manias: 6-game on-base
Zach Erdman: At least 5 strikeouts in 4 straight starts

ALL IN THE SAME WEEKEND (March 6-8 vs. Oregon)
• Friday: Pinch hit 3-run homer in Jimmy Dionne’s first career at-bat at Alexander Field
…Purdue’s first pinch hit home run since May 2025 & just the second since St. Patrick’s Day 2023
• Saturday: Purdue won when the opposing pitcher threw a complete game
…First time since March 2019 & first time at Alexander since April 2017
• Sunday: Inside-the-park 3-run homer from Sam Flores
…Purdue’s first inside-the-parker since May 2018 & first at home since April 2014

ERDMAN IN PURDUE’S 2-1 WINS
Aaron Manias delivered the 2-run single in both victories
• Feb. 14 vs Portland: 8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K
• March 7 vs Oregon: 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, BB, 7 K
• Combined: 13 IP, 8 H, 0 R, BB, 14 K

PURDUE’S PINCH HIT HOME RUNS (since 2012)
• March 6, 2026: Jimmy Dionne 3-run HR in 6th inning vs Oregon at Alexander Field
• May 3, 2025: Keenan Spence solo HR in 7th inning vs Northwestern at Alexander Field
• March 4, 2023: Mike Bolton Jr. solo HR in 8th inning vs Akron in Holly Springs, N.C.
• March 2, 2022: Jake Jarvis solo HR in 9th inning at Charlotte
• May 15, 2018: Evan Kennedy 2-run HR in 8th inning vs Oral Roberts at Alexander Field
• May 15, 2012: Sean McHugh solo HR in 9th inning vs Indiana State at Lambert Field

CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH VASTLY DIFFERENT SCORING OUTCOMES
Under Greg Goff (Since 2020)

Dates

Game 1

Game 2

Scoring Margins

Swing Margin

March 8-10, 2026

Lost 15-4
Oregon

Won 17-1
Milwaukee

-11 >> +16

27

March 5-10, 2023

Won 23-4
vs Akron

Lost 15-7
at Ole Miss

+19 >> -8

27

March 7-8, 2020

Lost 11-2
at Western Ky.

Won 19-1
at Western Ky.

-9 >> +18

27

April 20-21, 2024

Won 18-7
East Tennessee St.

Lost 12-2
East Tennessee St.

+11 >> -10

21

April 6-9, 2022

Lost 10-6
Indiana St.

Won 17-0
Indiana

-4 >> +17

21

Feb. 18-19, 2023

Lost 12-3
vs Holy Cross

Won 12-2
vs Holy Cross

-9 >> +10

19

Feb. 18, 2023 (DH)

Won 14-4
vs Holy Cross

Lost 12-3
vs Holy Cross

+10 >> -9

19

May 6-9, 2025

Won 14-4
Ball State

Lost 8-0
at Indiana

+10 >> -8

18

April 8-9, 2023

Won 15-3
at Minnesota

Lost 9-3
at Minnesota

+12 >> -6

18

March 3-5, 2024

Won 11-3
vs Cal St. Fullerton

Lost 11-2
at Notre Dame

+8 >> -9

17

March 5-9, 2024

Lost 11-2
at Notre Dame

Won 11-3
UAlbany

-9 >> +8

17

May 1, 2022 (DH)

Won 12-4
Michigan

Lost 13-2
Michigan

+8 >> -9

17

May 13-14, 2022

Won 14-8
at Northwestern

Lost 11-1
at Northwestern

+6 >> -10

16

 

PURDUE WINS WHEN OPPOSING PITCHER THREW A COMPLETE GAME (Since 2009)

Date

Opponent

Opposing Pitcher

Purdue Pitcher of Note (Line)

Final Score

3/07/2026

Oregon

Collin Clarke (8 IP)

Zach Erdman
(5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 7 K)

2-1

3/10/2019

vs NJIT
in Marion, N.C.

Sean Lubreski (8 IP)

Ryan Beard
(7.2 IP, 6 H, R, 6 K)

3-2

4/08/2017

Indiana

Brian Hobbie (8 IP)

Gareth Stroh
(6 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 4 K)

7-3

3/16/2013

at Evansville

Kyle Lloyd (9 IP)

Jordan Minch
(6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 7 K)

4-1

5/11/2012

Michigan

Brandon Sinnery (8 IP)

Joe Haase
(9 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 7 K)

4-0

4/27/2012

Michigan State

Tony Bucciferro (8 IP)

Joe Haase
(7 IP, 6 H, R, 3 K)

6-2

4/13/2012

Illinois

Kevin Johnson (8 IP)

Joe Haase
(7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 K)

3-0

4/06/2012

at Northwestern

Francis Brooke (9 IP)

Joe Haase
(9 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 K)

7-0

5/19/2011

Iowa

Jarred Hippen (8 IP)

Matt Morgan
(6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 9 K)

6-3

3/04/2011

at Lipscomb

Richie Goodenow (9 IP)

Matt Morgan
(9 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 10 K)

1-0

4/24/2010

Northwestern

Eric Jokisch (8 IP)

Matt Bischoff
(8 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 10 K)

2-1

3/27/2009

at Northwestern

Eric Jokisch (9 IP)

Matt Bischoff
(9 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 10 K)

4-3

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