April 23, 1999
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Junior catcher Erik Frei drove in junior left fielder Chris Walker with an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Purdue baseball team a 7-6 victory over Northwestern on Friday at Lambert Field. Purdue improves to 17-21 overall, 5-8 in the Big Ten and 3-0 in extra inning games. Northwestern falls to 17-18 overall and 6-7 in the conference.
Trailing 6-3, the Boilers sent the game into extra innings with three runs in the ninth. With one out, senior first baseman Ryan Cole singled to center, knocking Wildcat starter Gabe Ribas from the game. Reliever Ryan Bos promptly walked sophomore right fielder Mike Rose and surrendered an RBI single to sophomore center fielder Nate Sickler, scoring Cole. Senior designated hitter Todd Ellinger then walked to load the bases. After a strikeout, senior second baseman Ryan Bettencourt reached first on an infield hit, driving in Sickler and Rose to tie the game at 6-6.
The Boilers held Northwestern scoreless for the next three innings and then struck again in the 12th. Walker led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second on a bunt single by junior shortstop Daryl Hallada and moved to third on an error by Bos. Following a pitching change, Frei lined reliever Zach Schara's first offering up the middle for an RBI single to win the game.
Sophomore left-hander Ben Kaebisch (3-1) earned the victory, allowing only one hit in three scoreless innings of relief. Sophomore starter David Gassner struck out eight over nine innings but did not get a decision.
Sickler had two hits for Purdue, including his eighth home run of the year, a two-run shot to right field in the fifth. He drove in three runs in the game. Frei and Bettencourt both had two hits in the game.
The series continues with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lambert Field.