May 13, 2001
Despite another dominating performance from senior Dave Gassner, the Purdue baseball team lost a heart-breaking 2-1 game to Iowa. Earlier in the day, Ohio State defeated Michigan, 9-2, clinching the Big Ten Championship for the Buckeyes.
With a Minnesota win over Northwestern today, the Boilermakers must win tomorrow against Iowa to clinch second place in the final conference standings. Minnesota now stands at 19-8 (.703) in conference play, while the Boilermakers are at 18-7 (.720).
Gassner pitched his sixth complete game in seven Big Ten starts, striking out six, walking just two and allowing just two hits.
This time, it was Purdue who struck first as Kris Luce put the Boilermakers on the board in the bottom of the second, with his fifth home run of the season. Iowa answered back in its half of the third as Brad Carlson homered to even the score at 1-1. Jim Reid scored the winning run for Iowa. After he singled, following the Carlson home run, Reid advanced to second on a balk. He then scored on a Kurt Vitense single.
Purdue will close its 2001 home schedule with a 1 p.m. game against the Hawkeyes tomorrow.
NOTES - With the win in Sunday's game one, Purdue set a new school record for Big Ten wins in a season with 18 ... Gassner finishes the regular season pitching 47 innings in conference play, striking out 54 and walking just nine over that span ... John Gusich leads all Boilermakers so far this weekend, going 5-for-8 (.625) over the three games thus far with two RBI ... Nate Sickler is 4-for-9 (.444) three runs scored and four RBI while Luce has chipped in by going 3-for-7 (.429) with an RBI and a run scored ... Boilermaker pitchers this weekend (Quick, Blasko, Gassner) all have complete games, combining for 15 strikeouts to just three walks.