March 17, 2003
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Purdue baseball team grabbed an early lead, then allowed the defense to takeover as the Boilermakers defeated the Belmont Bruins in Nashville, 5-2. With the win, Purdue improves to 7-4 on the year while Belmont drops to 10-4.
The Old Gold and Black scored two runs in the first, two in the second and one in the fourth to build a 5-0 lead before handing the game over the the defense and bullpen.
Purdue broke through in the top of the first with two runs, scoring in the opening inning for the third time in four games. Nick McIntyre drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a single by Simon Klink. Two consecutive wild pitches by Belmont starter Ryan Herzberg scored McIntyre and put Klink on third for John Hunter, who doubled to the right-center field wall to drive in the second Purdue run.
Two more runs crossed the plate for the Boilermakers on a bizarre turn of events. After a leadoff double to left by Brad Kriner and an infield single by Neal Gorka in which Kriner remained at second, Mitch Koester layed down a sacrifice bunt in front of the mound. Fielded by Herzberg, the Bruin pitcher threw to first and drew second baseman Joel Novak, covering first, into the baseline where he collided with Koester. When Novak fell to the ground, Kriner started home and Gorka moved to third. A wild throw towards the plate by Soukup escaped the Belmont catcher and went into the home team's dugout, allowing Gorka to be awarded homeplate with the fourth Purdue run.
John Manuel opened the Boilermaker half of the fourth with a bunt single past the pitcher on the third base side of the mound and scored two pitches later when Kriner laced his second double of the game to left-center under the glove of a diving Belmont center fielder. With the single run in the inning, Purdue's advantage grew to 5-0.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Belmont got on the scoreboard as Dan Soukup took a Luke Howard pitch deep over the left field wall for his third home run of the season, cutting Purdue's lead to 5-1.
Brent Coudron relieved Howard on the mound in the seventh for the Boilermakers and was greeted by Stephen Sundstrom, who bunted towards second base for a single. Novak followed with a single to right and moved to second on the throw from Underwood to third base trying to get lead runner Sundstrom. A sacrifice fly to right by Brad Dobner scored Sundstrom from third with the Bruins' second run of the game.
Luke Howard tossed six innings for the win, improving his record to 2-1 on the season. In six innings, Howard allowed just one run on four hits and two walks. Brent Coudron allowed one run over two innings of relief work, also yielding four hits. Dustin Glant closed the game with a scoreless ninth inning for his first save of the season.
Brad Kriner led the Boilermakers with two hits, both doubles, in three at-bats. Kriner scored one run and drove home one. John Manuel and Neal Gorka had indentical afternoons at the plate, each scoring one run and batting 2-4.
The Boilermaker nine travels to Knoxville, Tenn., where they will take on the Volunteers of Tennessee on Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m.