March 14, 1999
BOCA RATON, Fla. - The Purdue baseball team split two games on Sunday in Boca Raton, Fla. Purdue defeated Pace in the first game and lost to Columbia in the nightcap.
In the opener, sophomore left-hander David Gassner struck out a career-high nine batters en route to a 7-3 Boilermaker victory over Pace. Gassner, in his first start of the season, allowed only three hits and one earned run in eight innings to improve his record to 2-0.
Junior shortstop Daryl Hallada broke a scoreless deadlock in the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run to right field, giving Purdue a 1-0 lead.
The Setters responded with two unearned runs on two Purdue in the bottom half of the inning to take a one-run advantage.
The Boilers regained the lead for good in the fifth inning, scoring five runs on six hits. Senior Todd Ellinger led off with a triple to right-center field and scored on senior Ryan Bettencourts ground out to shortstop. Sophomore Mike Rose, junior Chris Walker and sophomore Nate Sickler followed with consecutive singles to load the bases. Hallada reached on a fielders choice, forcing out Rose at home for the second out of the inning. Junior Erik Frei followed with a two-run single, scoring Walker and Sickler to give Purdue a 4-2 lead. Senior Ryan Cole then doubled home Frei to give the Boilers an insurance run.
Both teams scored once more in the sixth inning, giving the Boilers a 7-3 lead. Gassner and junior Andy Helmer combined to retire the final 11 hitters to seal the win for Purdue.
In the second game, the Boilers fell to Columbia 6-5 despite a solid effort from sophomore pitcher Austin Bilke.
Columbia took an early lead with two runs in the first inning. Second baseman Kevin Holbert reached on an error and advanced to third on a double by center fielder Dave Lewis. Right fielder Hawkeye Wayne and first baseman Peter Aswad followed with a pair of ground outs, scoring Holbert and Lewis to give the Lions a 2-0 lead.
The Lions offensive onslaught continued in the second inning, as Columbia scored two more runs. Catcher Dave OReilly and designated hitter Matt Buckmiller started the inning with consecutive singles. After a sacrifice bunt, Bilke balked home OReilly. Holbert followed with a sacrifice fly, driving in Buckmiller and giving Columbia a 4-0 advantage. The Lions put two more runners on with a pair of walks, but Roses diving catch near the right field line ended the inning.
The Boilers answered with three runs in the top of the sixth. Rose tripled to right-center field, scoring Sickler and Cole. Sophomore David Blomberg reached on an error, driving home Rose, to bring Purdue within a run.
Purdue took the lead with a pair of runs in the eighth. With one out, Frei reached second on a two-base error and scored on a double by Cole to tie the game. The Boilers went ahead by one when Cole scored on senior catcher Brad Browns RBI single to left.
With Purdue ahead 5-4 in the ninth, Buckmiller led off the inning with a solo home run to left to tie the game. After a strikeout, a single and a ground out, Bilke intentionally walked Lewis. Wayne followed with an RBI single to left, bringing home pinch runner Hashim Dalton to give the Lions a 6-5 victory.
Bilke (0-2) finished the game with nine strikeouts and six walks, while allowing eight hits.
Purdue (2-7) will face Princeton at 10 a.m. on Monday.