May 27, 2005
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Back-to-back longballs by Mitch Hilligoss and Mike Coles in the top of the ninth inning propelled the Purdue Nine to a 9-7 win over the Michigan Wolverines at the 2005 Big Ten Tournament, eliminating Michigan from the field and advancing the Boilermakers to a Friday afternoon game vs. No. 1 seed Illinois.
The shots in the ninth marked the first time Purdue has hit back-to-back homers this season, as well as the first time the Boilermakers have hit multiple home runs in one inning of a game in 2005.
The Boilermakers are now 26-29 on the season. Michigan leaves the Big Ten Tournament with a record of 41-17 and must now hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA postseason.
Neal Gorka, coming off knee surpgery just one week prior, got the Boilermakers started in the second with a double that one-hopped off the wall in right-center. Eric Osborn lined a shot into right that fell in for an RBI single, giving Purdue a 1-0 lead.
The Boilermaker advantage was extended by three runs in the top of the third after three hits and a costly Michigan error. Dane Wolfe was hit by the first pitch of the inning and Hilligoss bunted for a base hit, giving the Boilermakers two runners on base. A Coles sacrifice bunt set up Eric Wolfe, who grounded a single up the middle to score both baserunners. On the next pitch, John Hunter ripped a single to left that went through the five-hole of left fielder Brad Roblin, allowing the ball to roll to the wall and for Eric Wolfe to score from first.
The Wolverines cut the lead to three with a pair of doubles in the bottom of the third by Leif Mahler and Chris Getz, making the score 4-1 Purdue.
Purdue jumped back on the scoreboard in the seventh with three runs on four hits and another Wolverine miscue. Andy Dahl doubled down the left field line and was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Dane Wolfe. On Wolfe's bunt, third baseman A.J. Scheidt's throw sailed past first base, allowing Dahl to score and Wolfe to end up at third. Coles drove home Wolfe with a base hit through a drawn-in infield and moved to second on a base hit by Eric Wolfe. Hunter singled to left to plate Coles with the third run of the inning, upping Purdue's lead to 7-1.
Michigan fought back against Purdue starter Mitch Pruemer, scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh. Mahler's second double of the game and a hit-by-pitch to Eric Rose put two runners on base, and Chris Getz singled on a high hop over the head of Osborn at second to score Mahler from second. With runners on the corners, Kyle Bohm grounded out to score Rose and draw the score to 7-3.
In the eighth inning, the Wolverines chased Pruemer from the mound with back-to-back singles, bringing Trae Dauby in from the pen. A walk and a two-run single by Mahler drew the score to 7-5 and brought closer Chris Toneguzzi to the hill with nobody out. A sacrifice fly drew Michigan to within one run, and a triple down the right field line by Roblin just out of the reach of a diving John Phegley scored Mahler with the tying run.
Toneguzzi was credited with the victory, the second for the junior this season in 29 appearances. Brad Seddon was hit with the two home runs and the loss, dropping him to 1-1.