April 12, 2000
VALPARAISO, Ind. - In the midst of a streak of 17 games over the span of 19 days, the Boilers' overworked pitching staff sent sophomore Heath Uppencamp to the hill with the challenge of earning the Boilers their 20th win on the season. Uppencamp pitched well enough to keep the Boilermakers in the game, as Purdue won an extra-inning shootout 10-8. Purdue moves to 20-12 on the season while the Crusaders drop to 4-24.
"Our initial plan was to have Jeremy Ballard throw in the bullpen, but when the game got within three runs we decided to put him on the field," Purdue pitching coach Gary Adcock said. "When the game was tied our only concern was going after the win. I would have liked to see Uppencamp and Jim Davies go the distance, but the win was our biggest concern and we got that."
With Uppencamp getting his first start of the season, control was a factor. The Purdue southpaw walked the first batter he faced before giving up a double to Brad Tokarz. With runners at second and third, Uppencamp walked the bases loaded and then walked in the first run of the ball game. Despite his shaky start, Uppencamp got out of the inning only giving up one run. He worked into the fifth inning with a 7-1 lead before surrendering three more runs, which came on the heels of three straight base hits by the Crusaders' No. 8-9-1 hitters. After the Boilers' starter gave up a walk to Tokarz, Uppencamp's longest outing of the season came to an end. The final line on the second-year pitcher was 4.0 IP, four hits, four runs and three strikeouts. With four innings behind him, pitching coach Gary Adcock went to the bullpen and sent freshman Jim Davies to the hill. Davies entered the game with a 0.00 ERA, but those numbers would change before the young right hander left the game. Davies continued the efforts of Uppencamp, keeping the Boilers in the game, giving the offense a chance to take over. Davies went two full innings, but gave up three runs, allowing the Crusaders to get back into the game with an 8-7 score. With their 20th win within reach, the Boilermakers again went to the relief staff, this time to senior Jeremy Ballard. Ballard, Purdue's No. 3 starter, came in giving up only one run over the span of 3.2 innings in what was a tie game heading into the tenth inning. Ballard struck out four batters, including the first two batters in the ninth on a total of six pitches. After the offense posted two more runs in the top of the 10th, Ballard got two quick outs in the bottom of the inning. Chris Moore bunted to get on with a single, and with the tying run at the plate the Old Gold and Black sent the Big Ten's save leader, Andy Helmer to the hill to close things out. Helmer got Tokarz to ground out to the second baseman and Helmer earned his 11th save of the season.
"Mid-week games are always supposed to be offensively dominated games," Purdue assistant coach Todd Murphy said. "Today we got 10 runs, which was barely enough to win, but we left with the victory. I was glad to see us bunch a few of the 15 hits we had together to score some runs."
With the Boilermakers working a mid-week pitching staff, the lineup would have to produce runs to get a win. The No. 1-8 hitters struggled through the first two innings, scoring no runs and leaving two runners on base. With the bottom of the lineup leading off the third, Mike Duursma stepped to the plate with a nine game hitting streak on the line. Duursma led off with a single that began the Boilers' six-run third inning. Duursma, Chris Walker, David Blomberg, Erik Frei, Nate Sickler and Daniel Underwood all crossed home plate as the squad batted around with Duursma getting both the first hit and the last out of the inning. Up 6-1, Purdue's scoring threats became less intense, as the Boilers scattered two hits in both the fifth and sixth innings, adding two more runs to their total. With a Valpo rally tying the game at eight, it was up to the Boilermakers' offense to win the game. In the top of the tenth inning, Duursma led off with another crucial at-bat, and again came through with a clutch single. After Chris Walker sacrificed him to second, the Crusaders intentionally walked David Blomberg. Nate Sickler followed with a walk, and with the bases loaded and two outs, the Boilermakers all-time hits leader stepped to the plate. Daryl Hallada lined a single to left centerfield scoring Duursma and Blomberg, and the Boilers were ahead to stay with the 10-8 victory.
The Boilers had many strong performances at the plate, including a 3-for-6 day from Hallada and a 2-for-4 day from Blomberg. Blomberg added three runs scored and an RBI while Hallada notched three RBI and a run scored. Frei, Underwood and Duursma all added two hits apiece, as the Boilermakers pounded out a total of 15 hits on the day.
Purdue will now play an important series with the Indiana Hoosiers at Lambert Field with a game on Friday, a double header on Saturday and a final game on Sunday afternoon. Purdue is currently 6-6 in Big Ten play.