Feb. 18, 2000
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Purdue baseball team lost the season opener to Vanderbilt 6-2 in Nashville, Tenn., Friday. The game, which was scheduled to last nine innings, was called due to rain in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Starting pitcher Russ Morgan (0-1) took the loss while giving up six runs, four of which were earned. Morgan (New Hartford, NY) a senior left-hander allowed six hits and three walks in 4.1 innings. The Boilers managed just two runs on three hits against Vanderbilt senior Damon Yee (1-0) who struck out four Purdue hitters.
The Commodores scored an unearned run in the first inning off of Morgan and added two more runs in the second to open a 3-0 lead. The Boilers came back with two runs in the top of the third. Second baseman David Blomberg (Brookfield, Wis.) drove in shortstop Mike Duursma (Heilco, Netherlands) with a single. Senior Chris Walker (Joliet, Ill.) who doubled earlier in the inning scored on a sacrifice fly by senior catcher Eric Frei (Rome, NY).
The Commodores right fielder Adam Blue hit a three-run home run in the third to open up a 6-2 lead. The Boilermakers' freshman Chadd Blasko (Mishawaka, Ind.) made his debut for the Boilermakers working two-thirds of an inning of hit-less relief.
The Boilers' third hit of the game came off of the bat of senior third baseman Daryl Hallada (Janesville, Wis.). Hallada is now just two hits away from moving into third place on the Purdue all-time hit list.
Head coach Doug Schreiber thought his team made some mental errors that were costly.
"We really didn't play well enough to win," Schreiber said. "Our hitters didn't take a good plan up to the plate with them. He (Yee) was a fastball and slider pitcher and we didn't do a good job of taking the slider away."
Purdue and Vanderbilt will continue the three-game series with game number two Saturday at 1:00 at McGugin Field. Junior, lefty David Gassner will get the starting nod for the Boilers.