COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Rutgers baseball won its series opener over Maryland by a score of 6-4 on Friday night at Bob Smith Stadium.
 
The Scarlet Knights (27-26, 14-14) scored four in the second inning on the Terrapins (26-28, 11-17) and used clutch pitching late to earn the win.
 
After Maryland opened the scoring on an RBI single in the bottom of the first, Rutgers responded with four runs in the top of the second to take control of the game.
 
It was the bottom of the order who helped RU take the early lead, with Matt Chatelle opening the scoring with an RBI single through the right side. RJ Johnson Jr. then launched a two-run home run over the wall in center for his first long ball of the season. Trevor Cohen added the fourth when he beat out an infield single, pushing the advantage to 4-1.
 
The Terrapins fought back in the fifth, scoring a pair on a solo home run and RBI single, making it a one-run game at 4-3.
 
Chatelle once again provided an immediate response, driving another RBI single to right to make it 5-3. Cohen then launched a deep solo homer to center in the seventh – his second of the season – making it 6-3 in favor of the Scarlet Knights.
 
After Landon Mack delivered 5.1 innings of three-run ball, Nolan Peel came in to get a strikeout and groundout to end the sixth. Maryland hit a solo homer in the eighth and Quinn Berglin entered with two men on, ultimately getting out of the inning by stranding the bases loaded. 

In the bottom of the ninth, the Terrapins once again loaded the bases, but Berglin got a looking strikeout to secure the win and collect his fifth save of the season. 

With the victory, the Scarlet Knights move into a tie for ninth place in the conference standing with Nebraska with two games remaining. 
 
Notes

• Trevor Cohen recorded his 27th multi-hit game of the season and increased his program record with 52 hits in conference play
• RJ Johnson Jr. hit his first home run of the season. 
• Brennan Hyde recorded his 10th multi-hit game of the season and his sixth since moving to the leadoff spot in the lineup. 
• Matt Chatelle recorded his eighth multi-hit game of the season. 

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