May 15, 2007
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue Boilermakers fell in their home finale to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in a storm-shortened contest at Lambert Field, 4-3 in five innings.
A phantom storm forced the stoppage of the game with one out in the bottom of the sixth as the Boilermakers fell to 21-28 on the season.
The game was delayed 70 minutes in the second inning due to rain and lightning, and then was stopped in the sixth when lightning returned to the West Lafayette area. With the radar showing severe storms approaching the Lafayette area, the game was called when heavy rain began falling at 5:15 p.m. However, the rain lasted only 10 minutes and left Lambert Field dry but deserted as the teams and officials had already headed for home.
Purdue scored in the first inning on a leadoff triple by Spencer Ingaldson and a sacrifce fly by Eric Osborn.
Following the return from the initial rain delay, the Hilltoppers grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third inning on a two-run home run by Casey Hamilton. Single runs in the fourth and fifth innings gave WKU a 4-1 advantage.
The Boilermakers drew to within one in the home half of the fifth when Ryne White singled up the middle and Jeff Mojzik launched his first home run of the season over the netting beyond the left field wall.
After a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, Purdue put a runner on base with one out before the lightning strike stopped play.
Allan Donato (1-2) was hit with the loss, pitching 5.0 innings in his first start of the season. The junior allowed four runs on eight hits while striking out five.
The homer by Mojzik was the senior's third of his career. White's single extended his hitting streak to 19 games, three games behind his Purdue-record 22-game hitting streak he produced earlier this season.
The Boilermakers hit the road for their final five games of the season, beginning with a 4 p.m. game at Valparaiso on Wednesday. Purdue concludes the 2007 campaign in Evanston, Ill., with a four-game series against Northwestern. All five remaining games can be heard on WLAS 1410 AM in the Lafayette area and on the Web at purduesports.com.