COLLEGE PARK, Md. (Interstat) — The Maryland Terrapins bounced back from a lopsided loss a day earlier by routing the Penn State Nittany Lions 12-2 on Friday afternoon at Shipley Field, evening the three-game Big Ten series and setting up a Saturday rubber match.

Maryland improved to 25-28 overall and 25-28 in conference play. Penn State dropped to 16-34 and 16-34.

The Terrapins collected 12 hits, while the Nittany Lions managed only five. Maryland’s pitching staff, led by starter Cristofer Cespedes and reliever Brayden Ryan, held Penn State to two solo home runs — by Spencer Barnett in the second inning and Preston Yaucher in the fifth — and little else. Cespedes worked the first six innings, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out 10 and walking two. Ryan pitched a scoreless seventh.

Penn State struck first in the top of the second. With one out, Barnett homered to right-center field, giving the Nittany Lions a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Maddox McDonald singled up the middle, stole second, but was stranded when Preston Yaucher struck out swinging. The Nittany Lions had pushed their advantage to 2-0 on Barnett’s blast.

Maryland answered emphatically in the bottom of the second. Second baseman David Mendez led off with a solo homer to left field, cutting the deficit to 2-1. After Bud Coombs flied out, Paul Jones II walked, and Ty Kaunas singled to put runners on first and second. Nate Hawton-H was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Devin Russell popped out for the second out, but Jordan Crosland was also hit by a pitch, forcing in Jones to tie the game 2-2. Aden Hill entered as a pinch runner for Crosland. Brayden Martin then singled through the left side, driving in Hawton-H and Kaunas to give Maryland a 4-2 lead. Ryan Costello popped out to end the inning.

The score remained 4-2 until the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Nate Hawton-H singled to second base. Devin Russell followed by crushing a two-run homer to center field, extending Maryland’s lead to 6-2. Penn State changed pitchers, bringing in Kyle Emmons, but the damage was done. Martin walked and stole second, and Costello walked, but Mendez grounded out to end the inning.

Penn State cut into the lead in the top of the fifth. After two strikeouts, Yaucher homered to center field, making it 6-2. But the Nittany Lions could not sustain the rally, as Jayden Davis struck out swinging to end the inning.

Maryland blew the game open in the bottom of the fifth. Bud Coombs homered to right-center to make it 7-2. Paul Jones II singled, advanced to second on a groundout, and scored on Nate Hawton-H’s single to center field for an 8-2 advantage. The inning ended with a lineout and a strikeout.

The Terrapins added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Brayden Martin singled down the left-field line, and Ryan Costello doubled to right field, putting runners on second and third. David Mendez tripled down the right-field line, scoring both runners and increasing the lead to 10-2. Paul Jones II then reached on a fielder’s choice, driving in Mendez for an 11-2 margin. Penn State brought in Mason Horwat, who recorded two outs to end the inning.

Maryland capped the scoring in the bottom of the seventh. Devin Russell launched his second home run of the game, a solo shot to center field, making it 12-2. Penn State went down in order in the top of the eighth and the game ended after seven innings due to the mercy rule.

The most critical sequence occurred in the bottom of the second inning when Maryland erased a 2-0 deficit with a four-run outburst, seizing control of the game and never looking back. Russell finished with two home runs and three RBIs. Mendez had a home run and a triple, driving in three runs. Martin collected two hits and two RBIs.

Penn State starter Mason Horwat took the loss, allowing six runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings.

The two teams met Thursday in the series opener, with Penn State winning 13-3. Maryland will host Penn State again Saturday in the series finale.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Penn State 3, Maryland 5, and its ELO system gave Maryland a 60.90 percent probability to win.