May 12, 2007
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With a split of Saturday's doubleheader against Iowa, the Purdue baseball team has set itself in position to do something it hasn't done in four weeks - win a Big Ten weekend series.
The Boilermakers defeated the Hawkeyes in the first game of Saturday double-dip, 11-6, before Iowa scratched out a one-run win in the nightcap, 6-5. The split gives Purdue a 2-1 record in the series and a chance to win it's first series since defeating Indiana three-games-to-one on April 13-15.
Purdue spotted Iowa a 3-0 lead in the first inning of the Saturday, then proceeded to score in every inning enroute to the 11-6 win. The Boilermakers put their leadoff batter on base in every inning and had that baserunner come around to score each time.
Trailing 3-0, the Boilermakers scored single runs in the first and second innings on an RBI single by Ryne White in the opening frame and a sacrifice fly by Jon Moore in the second.
Purdue plated three runs in the third to go ahead 5-3 on back-to-back homers. With White on second after a walk and a sacrifice, Dan Black launched his first career home run over the wall in right-center to put Purdue up 4-3. Carlos Pupo followed suit with his first homer on the next pitch, a drive over the wall in left-center.
An Iowa balk allowed another Purdue run to cross the plate in the fourth, giving the Boilermakers a three-run advantage. However, the Hawkeyes would answer in the top of the fifth with a game-tying three-run inning.
Tied 6-6, Black quickly untied the contest with his second home run in as many at-bats, a blast to left-center. A switch-hitter, Black's first long ball came from the left side of the plate, then knocked one from the right side one inning later. The Boilermakers added another fifth-inning run on an RBI groundout by Nick Overmyer.
Purdue didn't take its foot off the gas in the late innings, scoring three more runs in the sixth to ice the victory. White drove in his second run of the day with a single up the middle, driving home Spencer Ingaldson. A bases-loaded walk to Pupo forced in a run and Eric Nielsen's sacrifice fly made the score 11-6.
Andrew Groves was credited with the win in relief of starter Tony Sedlmeyer. Groves (1-2) pitched one inning without allowing a hit or a run. Josh Lindblom pitched the final two scoreless innings for his first save as a Boilermakers.
The trend of He-who-scores-first-loses continued in the second game, but this time in a negative light for Purdue.
After falling behind Iowa in the first two games of the series only to come back for big wins, the Boilermakers grabbed the initial lead with single runs in the third and fourth innings.
Purdue scored its first run in the third on a fielder's choice by Eric Osborn and a throwing error by the Iowa catcher, allowing Moore to score from second base. Pupo's sacrifice fly in the fourth inning drove home Jeff Mojzik for a 2-0 Boilermaker lead.
As Purdue had done in the previous two games, Iowa rallied to overtake the Boilermakers with four runs in the fifth inning on two hits and two Purdue miscues.
Purdue inched closer in the sixth with a single run thanks to two walks and a fielding error by the Iowa first baseman. With the score 4-3 in favor of the Hawkeyes, Iowa got the cushion it would need in the top of the seventh on an RBI double by Caleb Curry and a run-scoring basehit by Kyle Riffel.
The Boilermakers got a big blast in the seventh on a two-run homer to right by White, but Purdue could not manage a tying run.
Starter Matt Jansen (0-4) was the hard-luck loser in the game, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out seven.
On the afternoon, Purdue's five defensive mishaps allowed nine unearned runs to cross the plate for the Hawkeyes.
Purdue and Iowa conclude the four-game conference series on Sunday at 1 p.m., with Ricky Heines (6-5) on the hill for the Boilermakers against Iowa's Brock Alberts (1-0). The game can be heard on WLAS 1410 AM in the Lafayette area and on the internet at purduesports.com.