April 5, 2006
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - For the second time under head coach Doug Schreiber, and just the fourth time since 1976, the Purdue Nine won on the road in Terre Haute, handing the Indiana State Sycamores an 8-5 defeat at Sycamore Field.
Purdue scored six runs in the opening three innings and used four quality innings from the bullpen to post the midweek victory.
Allan Donato (1-0) picked up the win, pitching five innings and yielding four runs (two earned) in his third start of the season. Andrew Groves went three innings out of the pen, and Trae Dauby pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season.
At the plate, Neal Gorka was 2-4 with three RBI, all coming with two outs. Eric Wolfe picked up another multiple-hit game, his 11th during a 15-game hitting streak.
The Boilermakers scored three times in the opening frame on an RBI groundball by Wolfe and a two-run single to right by Gorka.
After ISU cut the lead to 3-1 with a run in the home half of the first, Purdue manufactured a run in the second to regain a three-run lead. John Cummins led off the inning with a walk and moved to third on a errant pickoff attempt by starting pitcher Chad Dawson (1-4) that skipped past first base and into foul territory in right field. A groundball by Dane Wolfe plated the run.
With two outs in the third inning, Ryne White tripled to centerfield and scored on a double down the left field line by Gorka. A single to left by Eric Osborn drove home with Gorka an made the score 6-1.
A Sycamore run in the fourth inning was answered in the top of the fifth when Eric Wolfe singled, swiped second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, and come home when White lifted a sacrifice fly into center.
ISU closed the gap on the scoreboard with two runs in the sixth and one in the eighth, making the score 7-5 in favor of the Boilermakers. That would be as close as the home team would get.
Purdue scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth and turned the ball over to Dauby, who retired the Sycamores in order for the save.
The Boilermakers return to Lambert Field on Friday for the first game in a four-game Big Ten series against the Spartans of Michigan State. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled for 4 p.m., and all four games will be broadcast on AM 1410 WLAS in the Lafayette area and on the web at www.purduesports.com.