March 5, 2005
OXFORD, Miss. - Purdue's troubles on the mound continued Saturday as the Boilermakers surrendered 20 hits to No. 16 Mississippi in a 20-7 loss at Swayze Field. The Rebels plated nine runs in the second inning and hit back to back home runs in the fourth to put the game out of reach. Ole Miss improved to 8-3 on the season while the Boilermakers dropped to 1-4.
Purdue got on the board in the second inning when John Hunter led off with a single. Hunter was bunted to second by Eric Wolfe and moved to third on Neal Gorka's single before scoring on an Eric Osborn sacrifice fly.
The Boilermakers scored four more in the seventh after Dane Wolfe led off the inning with a single to right field. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on a throwing error that allowed Tyler Heck to reach base. Jeff Mojzik then doubled down the right field line to score Heck. Mitch Hilligoss ripped a single up the middle scoring Mojzick and then scored on a triple by John Phegley. The hits for Dane Wolfe, Mojzik, and Phegley were the first of their collegiate careers.
Purdue added a run in the eighth on a single by Heck that scored Gorka from third. Hunter drove in Hilligoss with a single in the ninth for the Boilermakers' final tally. Hilligoss had four hits on the afternoon while Hunter collected three.
Brent Coudron started on the mound for Purdue and was hit for the loss dropping his record to 0-1. Stephen Head made the start for Ole Miss and worked six innings to improve to 2-0. The Boilermakers and Rebels will conclude their three-game series with a 1:00 EST contest on Sunday.