April 12, 2008
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue had not won three consecutive Big Ten Conference series since the 2001 season and had never won the first three conference series in a season. That is to say the Boilermakers had not accomplished those feats until today.
With a doubleheader sweep over Penn State on Saturday at Lambert Field, the Purdue Nine clinched a win in the weekend series, marking the third consecutive Big Ten weekend in which the Boilermakers have been victorious this season.
Purdue (17-14, 9-2 Big Ten) defeated Penn State in the opening game of Saturday's twinbill 12-4 and then secured the series win with a 4-1 win in the nightcap.
The Boilermakers and Nittany Lions (10-20, 3-8) traded single runs in the second inning of the first game, but Purdue blew the game open with five runs in the third, three in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
Purdue picked apart PSU pitching in Game One, scoring 12 runs on 11 hits with only one hit driving in more than a single run. The only multiple-RBI swing of a bat by the Boilermakers came on a two-run home run by sophomore Dan Black in the fourth inning, Black's second homer of the series and sixth of the season.
Andy Loomis continued his masterful season out of the Purdue bullpen, picking up the win in 1.1 innings of hitless relief. Loomis (3-0) leads the team in wins in 15 appearances out of the pen, having yielded only two runs in 17.2 innings of relief this season.
In the nightcap Purdue broke open a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning with three consecutive doubles by Jordan Comadena, Black and Eric Nielsen, scoring two runs in the inning. The Boilermakers added an insurance run in the fifth inning to build a 4-1 lead.
Matt Janson (2-1) recorded the win in relief, pitching 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits while striking out three. Josh Lindblom recorded his Big Ten-leading seventh save with a scoreless seventh inning, facing the minimum. Lindblom has faced the minimum in his last four outings, retiring all 16 batters in his last 5.1 innings of work with nine strikeouts.
Purdue's bullpen has been remarkable in recent weeks, recording the win in each of the last eight victories, including the last seven Big Ten wins. In those eight wins, the Boilermaker pen has allowed eight runs in 41.1 innings - a 1.74 ERA - while striking out 38 and limited opposing hitters to a .183 average.
The Boilermakers and Nittany Lions will conclude their Big Ten series at Lambert Field on Sunday afternoon with a 1 p.m. single game.