March 13, 2001
The Purdue baseball team opened its west coast road trip with a 17-7 loss to San Diego. Freshman Billy Lester made his first career start for the Boilermakers and was credited with the loss, dropping his overall record to 1-1.
San Diego jumped out to an 8-0 lead before the Boilermakers came back with two runs in the top of the third inning. Dave Blomberg led off with a base hit, followed by Daniel Underwood, who reached base on an error by the left fielder. He advanced to scoring position at second while Blomberg moved over to third. Nate Sickler stepped to the plate and drove in both runners with a base hit.
Lester was roughed up in the first inning, yielding eight runs before being relieved by Jim Davies. Despite giving up a home run to his first batter, Davies responded nicely, pitching the next three innings scoreless before giving up a three-run blast in the fifth inning. Davies also struck out two batters over his four total innings of work, his most extensive outing to date. Purdue added one more run in the top of the fifth when Underwood doubled to centerfield, advanced to third on a wild pitch then scored on a Sickler groundout. The Boilers trailed 8-3 entering the fifth inning before San Diego added five more runs in the bottom of the fifth, increasing their lead to 13-3.
Purdue answered with two runs in the top of the sixth. David Harrell singled, followed by Simon Klink, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter, then walked to get on base. Blomberg then singled, scoring Harrell and advancing Klink to second. Klink was driven home on Underwood's third hit of the game.
After Heath Uppencamp relieved Davies in the fifth inning, who pitched to three batters before giving way to Daniel Hernandez. Hernandez came on to pitch 2.1 innings, yielding two earned runs. Despite yielding the two runs, Hernandez struck out three and converted a double play on a line out, then a throw out at second base.
The Boilermakers added two more runs in the top of the ninth, in an attempt to start a late rally, but were shut down by San Diego. Nick McIntyre reached on a fielder's choice then advanced to second when Sickler was hit by a pitch. Nick Treadway then replaced Kris Luce in the lineup and singled, advancing Sickler and McIntyre to second and third. Harrell came through with his third hit of the day, a base hit, which drove in both runners.
Underwood finished the day 4-for-5 with an RBI. Harrell was 3-for-4 with 2 RBI, while Sickler also had 2 RBI, going 1-for-4. The Boilermakers continue their west coast trip with a game at UCLA tomorrow at 6 p.m. EST.