April 27, 2001
The Purdue baseball team opened its weekend series with a 10-6 victory, improving to 25-17 overall, 15-4 in the Big Ten including and 11-1 road record in conference play. Ben Quick pitched his third complete game of the year to improve his record to 5-4. He struck out four batters, increasing his season total to 64 strikeouts, matching his 2000 total. The Boilermakers trailed 6-3 before scoring seven unanswered runs to get the victory.
After Indiana scored one run in the bottom of the first, Purdue got three runs back in the second. Nate Sickler led off the second inning with a base hit to left field. John Gusich walked, then Brad Kriner reached base on a fielder's choice. He grounded a ball to short, but Sickler was able to beat the force out at third. Mike Duursma drove in the Boilermakers' first run on a base hit to left field, also keeping the bases loaded. Gusich then scored on a Daniel Underwood sacrifice fly. Kriner scored on a passed ball, as Duursma advanced to second.
Duursma added a couple nice defensive plays in the second inning, flipping a force out at second, and making a sliding scoop in the infield to convert a double play to end Indiana's second inning.
The Hoosiers added two runs to even the score at 3-3 in the third inning, off a pair of base hits to right field, with runners scoring from second. Purdue added two hits in the fourth as Luce led off with a single to left field. Gusich singled through the left side as well, getting on base for the second time in as many plate appearances.
After a home run by catcher Kevin O'Brien, Indiana led 4-3, and built their lead to 6-3 after five innings. The Hoosiers were able put runners in scoring position, scoring their runners with base hits.
Underwood led off the fifth with a single to right field. Blomberg walked to put two runners on base with no outs for Nick McIntyre. McIntyre and Harrell flied out, both runners advancing on Harrell's fly out, but were unable to score. Indiana extended their lead to 6-3 after five innings of play.
Purdue began their comeback in the top half of the seventh. Luce walked to lead off the sixth inning. Gusich added his second base hit of the day, putting two runners on. John Badylak was inserted into the lineup to pinch hit for Kriner. Badylak attempted to bunt, but because of his good eye, walked on four pitches to load the bases with no outs. Indiana then changed pitchers, inserting Nick Viteliss for starter Edwards. With Duursma at the plate, he laid down a perfect bunt, and in addition to driving in Luce from third, was easily safe at first, beating the first baseman to a play. Underwood grounded out into a double play, but Gusich was still able to score. The Boilermakers tied the game in the next at-bat as Badylak scored on a wild pitch.
The Boilermakers kept the lead thanks to strong defense in the Indiana sixth as Harrell converted a double play after Quick's fourh strikeout, throwing out a runner attempting to steal second.
McIntyre led off the seventh with a walk, then advanced to second on a Harrell sacrifice bunt. Sickler hit an infield loop at the second baseman, reaching base at first and advancing McIntyre to third. Luce singled to left field to score McIntuyre, as Purdue regained the lead, 7-6. Sickler advanced to third on a wild pitch. Then, on an attempt to pick off Luce, pitcher Viteliss muffed a throw that skipped away from the second baseman, allowing Sickler to score. Luce advanced to third, as the Boilermakers closed the eighth inning leading 8-6.
Purdue added two more runs in the top of the eighth. Underwood added his second hit of the game in the top of the eighth. McIntyre singled to right field as Underwood hustled over to third. Underwood then scored on a passed ball. McIntyre advanced to second on the play. Harrell walked, putting two runners on for Sickler. Sickler ripped a single to center field, driving in McIntyre and scoring the Boilermakers' 10th run of the day.
Purdue continued with good defensive plays to keep Indiana off base. Badylak made a catch at the wall for the first out of the eighth, followed by Duursma who made a sliding catch in foul territory for the second out. Badylak made a diving catch in left field for the first out of the ninth.
NOTES - With the win, Doug Schreiber now has 84 career wins, tying Dutch Fehring (1936-42) for fifth place on Purdue's all-time list ... Sickler's three hits gave him his 16th multi-hit game of the season, his fourth three-hit game of the season ... Duursma extended his hit streak to eight games, now the longest current streak on the team ... Duursma has at least two hits in four of his last eight games ... Luce and Gusich each added their 12th multi-hit games of the season, while Underwood added his 18th multi-hit game of the season, tied with McIntyre for the team lead ... Quick has 28 strikeouts and 10 walks in his last six starts.