Rutgers Baseball will return to Bainton Field this weekend for a three-game weekend series against Maryland. Both the Scarlet Knights and the Terrapins currently rank as the Big Ten Conference's top two teams currently with the winner of this series likely to finish the season in first place overall for the regular season.
Now Rutgers is coming off a tough loss to lowly ranked Seton Hall team this past Tuesday, while Maryland travels to Piscataway, New Jersey on a two game win streak defeating Northwestern on Sunday and Georgetown on Tuesday.
With that being said, here are three Terrapins to watch this weekend versus the Scarlet Knights.
OUTFIELDER CHRIS ALLEYNE
Fifth-year senior Chris Alleyne is in the middle of another productive season for Maryland. The switch-hitting outfielder has always put up good seasons for the Terps, but this year is a bit different as he is having the best season of his career to date.
On the year, Alleyne is slugging .333/.431/.623 with a team-high 61 hits and 14 home runs, along with nine doubles, 52 RBIs, 17 stolen bases and an OPS of 1.053. He also leads the club with a slugging percentage of .623.
Alleyne usually hits at the top of the order and is also the everyday centerfielder for the Terps. With the type of success he is having this season, Rutgers will need to tread very carefully at the plate and try to keep him off the bases.
LHP RYAN RAMSEY
Junior left-handed pitcher Ryan Ramsey is Maryland’s ace and is coming off easily the best game of his life, as this past weekend he threw a perfect game against Northwestern. He struck out ten hitters, while allowing no runs, hits or walks.
On the season, Ramsey has made eleven total appearances, all of which were starts. He also has a perfect 8-0 record with a 2.42 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9, and a .176 opponent batting average.
The 6-foot, 195-pound right-handed pitcher out of Montvale, New Jersey was a highly touted prospect out of high school and was even selected in the 36th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by Cleveland Indians, but elected to play college ball first. Currently Ramsey possesses a low-90s fastball along with a quality breaking ball and a changeup.
CATCHER LUKE SHLIGER
After a rough freshman season last year, second year catcher Luke Shliger is having a breakout season for the Terrapins and might just be the most improved players in the Big Ten.
On the year, Shliger leads the Terrapins in batting with a .352/.494/.591 with 62 hits, 14 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 42 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and a team-high 1.085 OPS.
Shliger might not catch in every game, but you can be certain that the Terps will still find a place for him in the lineup. So far he has played in every single game for Maryland this season and the Terps will hope that he can help them lead the program past Rutgers this weekend.
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