April 5, 2008
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Purdue Boilermakers overcame an early four-run deficit to post an 8-6 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes in Friday evening's series opener at Duane Banks Field.
The Boilermakers used seven innings of shutout pitching from the bullpen and two home runs to claim the win and improve to 11-13 overall and 4-1 in Big Ten play.
Trailing 6-2 after two innings, the Boilermakers score twice in the third, three times in the fourth and added an insurance run in the fifth.
Iowa scored three in the first inning and three in the second off Purdue starter Matt Bischoff in the sophomore's shortest appearance as a starter.
Over the next seven innings Purdue relied on the arms of Kevin Cahill, Chris Ivanic, Andy Loomis and Josh Lindblom. The foursome limited the Hawkeyes to just one hit while striking out 11.
With the score 6-2 in the top of the third inning, Eric Nielsen singled to right-center with two outs to drive home Ryne White and Jordan Comadena. White walked with one out and Comadena followed with a single to set up Nielsen's two-run base hit.
In the Purdue fourth, Brandon Haveman doubled to left-center with two out to start a Boilermaker rally. Ben Wolgamot singled through the left side of the infield to plate Haveman and pull Purdue within one run. On the next pitch White drove the offering from Iowa starter Michael Jacobs over the fence in right-centerfield for a two-run home run and a 7-6 Boilermaker lead.
The home run was the team-leading fifth of the season for White and gave the junior 19 in his career - tying him for 13th in Purdue history with Jermaine Allensworth (1991-93), Shannon Stigleman (1992-95) and Michael Rothstein (1995-98).
Dan Black joined White with a long ball in the game, connecting on his third home run of the season in the fifth inning to put the Boilermakers up 8-6.
After the rocky start on the hill by Bischoff, Cahill came out of the pen and went 4.0 scoreless innings. The sophomore right-hander yielded just one hit while striking out a career-high five batters. Cahill picked up the win in the effort, his first collegiate victory.
Following outs retired by Ivanic and Loomis, Lindblom recorded the final seven outs in order for his fourth save of the season. Lindblom struck out five of the seven batters faced in the outing.
Purdue and Iowa return to Duane Banks Field on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET for a Big Ten doubleheader.