Feb. 29, 2004
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
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In 2003, the Boilermaker baseball team took SEC member Tennessee to 10 innings in Knoxville, winning 4-3. One year later across the state, Purdue and Vanderbilt went to extra frames, this time the SEC coming out on top as the Commodores defeated the Boilermakers 3-2 in 10.
The loss, which drops Purdue to 1-2 on the young season, spoiled a splendid performance on the mound by Brian Karpel (Sr., 6-2, 190, Lakewood, Ohio), who made his first appearance in a Boilermaker uniform since the 2002 campaign. Karpel missed the entire 2003 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. Karpel allowed four hits in seven innings, striking out three while yielding just one earned run.
The win was recorded by Vanderbilt's Ryan Rote, his first of the season. The loss went to Dan Sattler (Fr., 6-4, 205, West Lafayette, Ind.). The game was Sattler's first of his collegiate career.
The Boilermakers struck first, scoring a single run in the sixth inning. Designated hitter Rob Brockel (Fr., 6-1, 205, Pewaukee, Wis.) opened the inning by coazing a walk from Commodore hurler Ryan Mullins. A sacrifce bunt by left fielder Mitch Hilligoss (Fr., 6-1, 205, Windsor, Ill.) and a wild pitch advanced Brockel to third. Center fielder Mike Coles (Jr., 6-1, 185, Hammond, Ind.) laced a single into center to plate Brockel and give the Boilermakers a 1-0 lead.
Vanderbilt tied the score in the home half of the sixth, manufacturing a run with a walk, a balk, an error and a sacrifice fly. Aaron Garza drew a one-out free pass and moved to second on a Karpel balk. A mishandled grounder to third put runners on the corners and Antoan Richardson's flyball to center was deep enough to score the run.
Vandy threatened in the seventh when Cesar Nicolas led off with a single up the middle. However, an acrobat diving catch by second baseman Eric Osborn (Fr.) robbed a base hit from Vanderbilt's Tony Mansolino, cutting down a potential rally and keeping the game tied at 1-1.
Taking advantage of the new life, shortstop Mitch Koester (Sr., 5-11, 190, Effingham, Ill.) took a two-out pitch from Mullins and deposited it over the left-center field wall for his first home run of the season and third of his collegiate career. The Boilermakers threatened further with a walk to Coles and a single by catcher Ben Fritz (Sr., 6-0, 190, Minnetonka, Minn.), but could not capitalize on the situation.
With Purdue leading 2-1, the Commodores' Jonathan Douillard began the bottom of the eighth with a double into the gap in left-center, chasing Karpel from the mound in favor of Jason Driscoll (Sr., 6-2, 200, Mishawaka, Ind.). Purdue first baseman Eric Wolfe (So., 6-3, 190, Toronto, Ontario) cut down Douillard at third on the next pitch on an attempted sacrifice bunt, but Purdue could not cut down the inning until after an RBI single to right by Warner Jones tied the game.
The Commodores took advantage of the first poor showing by the Boilermaker bullpen, scoring the winning run in the tenth inning on three walks and a hit-by-pitch, the run being scored by pinch runner Gil Kim with one out.
The Boilermaker nine continues its challenge of the Southeastern Conference next weekend with a three-game set in Gainsville against the University of Florida. The first game is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 5.