May 4, 2002
Box Score
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - After rallying to tie the game with a four-run eighth inning, Purdue dropped a 10-9 slugfest to Minnesota in game one of their weekend series at Lambert Field.
Minnesota opened the scoring with two runs in the second inning on Jason Kennedy's solo home run and a RBI single by David Roach.
Purdue cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning on a RBI double by Kris Luce, scoring David Harrell.
David Hrncirik extended the Golden Gopher lead to 3-1 with a RBI single in the fourth inning. Minnesota plated three runs in the fifth behind solo home runs by Luke Appert, Kennedy and Roach for a 6-1 advantage.
The Boilermakers tallied four runs in the bottom of the fifth to trim the margin to one run at 6-5. Nick McIntyre belted a RBI triple to score Mitch Koester and later scored on Harrell's RBI single. Luce plated Harrell on a RBI single and Daniel Underwood scored on a wild pitch to cap the Purdue inning.
Minnesota registered three runs in the sixth inning behind an Appert sacrifice fly and Scott Welch's two RBI double, for a 9-5 lead.
Purdue posted a four-spot in the eighth inning to knot the game at nine. Underwood and Luce led off the frame with back-to-back home runs and Adam Fazio later blasted a two-run shot in the inning.
The Golden Gophers took the lead, 10-9, scoring the eventual game-winning run, in the top of the ninth on Jeremy Beaulieu's RBI groundout.
Purdue starter Chadd Blasko 3.2 innings before leaving the game with stiffness in his throwing arm.
Kris Luce paced the offense with a four for four, three RBI performance while Underwood collected three hits on the afternoon. Fazio and McIntyre each added two hits in the contest.
The Boilermakers, 21-22 overall and 11-10 in the Big Ten return to action Sunday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against the Golden Gophers. Fans can listen to both games locally on WAZY-AM (1410) and worldwide via the internet on www.purduesports.com.
Additional Game Notes
-Purdue's three home runs were a season high. The four home runs allowed tied the season high set at Coastal Carolina on March 16.
-Kris Luce's double was the 36th of his career, moving him into a tie for eighth-place with David Blomberg on the Purdue all-time list.
-Brian Karpel has not allowed an earned run in his last five appearances and his last 9.2 innings pitched.
Minnesota 020 133 001 - 10 14 1Purdue 010 040 040 - 9 14 1
W: Drexler (1-1); L: Uppencamp (0-2); SV: McCauley (2)HR: Fazio (4), Underwood (5), Luce (3), Appert (11), Kennedy 2 (10), Roach 3.