April 3, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue errors led to the opening of the Penn State floodgates as the Nittany Lions scored 10 unearned runs in Sunday's series finale, giving PSU a 13-0 win and a split of the four games played at Lambert Field.
Two errors in the third inning led to five unearned runs for Penn State (13-9, 2-2), blowing open a game that appeared to be set for a pitchers' duel. The Lions scored five more times in the sixth, all unearned.
The game opened with both starting pitchers throwing zeros on the scoreboard through two innings. The Lions struck in the third when a sacrifice bunt following a hit-by-pitch was thrown away. With one down, an RBI groundout pushed the first run across the plate. Penn State followed with four consecutive hits to grab a 5-0 lead.
Two runs for Penn State in the fourth extended the lead to 7-0 before the another Purdue error in the sixth led to five runs. With one down, Penn State put a runner on via an error at shortstop. A steal of second and four hits put the game out of reach, 12-0.
The Nittany Lions scored once more in the seventh to close the scoring at 13-0.
PSU's Alan Stidfole, Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week once week ago, picked up the win with a complete-game shutout. Stidfole (3-1) yielded six hits while striking out eight, and extended his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 20.
Dan Sattler was hit with the loss despite not allowind an earned run. The Purdue sophomore went 2.2 innings on the hill and gave up three hits and five unearned runs while fanning three. Purdue used five pitchers on the afternoon.
At the plate, sophomore Mitch Hilligoss and junior Tyler Heck each collected two hits in three at-bats.
Purdue (7-15, 2-2) travels to Cincinnati on Wednesday, April 6, for a non-conference game that begins at 6:30 p.m. EDT. The Boilermakers return to Big Ten action next Friday when they travel to Columbus for a four-game set with Ohio State.