April 1, 2000
STATE COLLEGE, Penn. - The Purdue baseball team evened its series with the Penn State Nittany Lions following a 6-1 win, and a commanding performance by Purdue hurler David Gassner. The Boilers move to 15-8 on the season, and draw even with Penn State at 4-2 in the conference. The Lions drop to 19-7 on the season, after their seven game winning streak was broken.
Gassner opened up the game for Purdue, looking to help the Boilers to a win following a game in which they struggled offensively the night before. Gassner opened up the game with a solid performance, allowing only one hit in the first inning to Shawn Fagan. Gassner then struck out Chris Netwall to end the inning. The offensive juggernaut that controlled the first game of the series was quickly put to sleep by the Boilers' southpaw. Gassner settled in, and mowed through the order, giving up only four hits and no runs through the first six innings. He struck out three and only walked one on his way to the eighth. In the eighth, Gassner gave up two hits and a run, but the Lions only multiple hit inning of the game wasn't enough, as Gassner finished the Nittany Lions off with the 6-1 complete game victory. Gassner bettered his record to 4-1, and will leave State College, Penn., with a 4.19 ERA.
The story at the plate was a very different one in Game Two of the four game series. Purdue went 1-2-3 in the first inning, but the bats came alive in the second inning. Leading off the inning was Nick McIntyre who doubled to extend his consecutive games hitting streak to six. Designated hitter Brandon Buck followed with a sacrifice bunt to move McIntyre to third. Daniel Underwood followed with a single to knock McIntyre in, and the Boilers were in the board. The second inning continued when Kris Luce nailed a double down the line in right and moved Underwood to third. Brad Kriner then sacrificed Underwood in and Luce scored on a wild pitch to the following batter. By the time Penn State starter Dan Goebler got out of the inning with a ground out to Mike Duursma, the damage had already been done. Purdue added a run in the third, fourth and fifth innings to extend the lead to 6-0.
The four, six and seven hitters for Purdue did the damage, as the trio of freshmen Nick McIntyre and Daniel Underwood, and sophomore Kris Luce went a combined 7-for-10, with five runs scored. McIntyre was the story of the day, as the Lafayette, Ind., native ended the day 3-for-4 with two runs scored. McIntyre had two doubles on the day, for his fifth multiple-hit game of the season. Erik Frei had the only other hit for the Boilers, as he notched his first triple of the season and knocked in a run.
The Boilers will continue in the series with the Lions in game two of the double header. First pitch of the game is scheduled for 3:15 p.m., and the starters will be Jeremy Ballard for the Boilers (3-0) and Dan McCall for the Nittany Lions (0-0).