April 27, 2000
STILLWATER, Okla. - The Boilermakers opened their series opener with Oklahoma State riding a seven game winning streak, matching the longest of their season. Three pitches into the ball game, it looked as if Purdue may extend that streak to a season-high eight games, as lead off hitter Chris Walker poked his first home run of the season over the right field wall. However, the curse of the lead off home run would strike again as Walker's home run proved to be the only run the Boilers would score all game. With a seve-run eighth inning, the Cowboys would go ahead to stay in the 11-1 Purdue-loss.
The Boilermakers scattered seven hits and left eight runners on base, as Purdue reached safely in all but two innings. Purdue's lack of ability to move runners around was due largely in part to Cowboy-hurler Matt Smith. Smith tossed 8.1 innings for the win, striking out 12 batters and only allowing one run to cross the plate. Smith betters his record to 6-6 on the season while the Cowboys as a team move to 28-18.
Purdue's counter for the preseason All-American lefty was Ben Quick. The junior from Riverside, Calif., pitched well through seven innings. Quick hit a trouble spot in the third inning, when he surrendered four runs, three of which came on a home run by Luke Scott. Quick started strong, striking out the side in the first, and worked into the eighth with a 4-1 score before walking the lead off hitter in the eighth inning. With his pitch count well over 100, pitching coach Gary Adcock relieved him with lefty Ben Kaebisch. Kaebisch struggled with the zone early, as the junior allowed two runs without retiring a single out. With the score now at 7-1, Adcock went to freshman Sean O'Neil. O'Neil was hit hard as the Cowboys continued to put runs on the board with a grand slam home run by Roy York. Heath Uppencamp came in to round out the Boilermakers' pitching line, getting Purdue out of the inning throwing one full inning and giving up one hit.
Despite the final score, the Cowboys only managed eight hits in the game, with only one hitter reaching the multi-hit plateau. The Boilers managed seven hits on the ballgame, with Daniel Underwood and Chris Walker both notching two hits apiece.