March 20, 2009
MARTIN, Tenn. - Dan Black did it again. For the second time in Purdue's last two games the junior infielder hit a two-run homer to lead the Boilermakers (7-9) to victory. Black launched his seventh home run of the season, and his second of the game, over the left field fence with one out in the top of the 10th inning to help Purdue defeat Tennessee-Martin 11-7 at Skyhawk Field.
The game-winning blast on Friday followed a two-run homer Black slugged in the ninth inning at Illinois-Chicago on Wednesday to lead Purdue to a 6-4 win over the Flames.
After watching a 5-2 advantage and a 7-5 lead slip away, the Boilers plated four runs in the top of the 10th to win back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Brandon Haveman grounded out to lead off the 10th, but Barret Arthur drew a one-out walk to bring Black to the plate.
Unlike his full count blast on Wednesday, the Boiler slugger wasted no time and drilled reliever Wes Patterson's second pitch high over the fence in left to put Purdue back up by two runs. The second blast of the day marked Black's second multi-homer game of the season (also at Texas State 3/8).
Freshman Tyler Spillner then added his first collegiate home run, a solo shot to left, two hitters later to push the lead to three, and Jonathan Moore chipped in with an RBI double to cap off the scoring in the extra frame.
Reliever Sean Collins retired the Skyhawk side in the bottom of the frame in order, including two on strikes, to record his first win as a Boilermaker. Collins (1-0) worked two perfect innings out of the bullpen as the Boilers' fourth pitcher of the game.
Black opened the Purdue scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first and hit his first home run of the game, also a two-run shot to left, in the third to help Purdue jump out to an early lead.
After Eric Charles hit a solo home run to left in the fourth, also his first collegiate homer, the Boilers carried a 5-2 lead through four and half innings.
UT-Martin tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when it plated three runs on three hits, including a two-run homer by losing pitcher Patterson, and a bases loaded walk.
The game remain tied until the seventh, when the Boilers plated a pair of runs on a bases loaded walk to Spillner and a bunt single by Nick Overmyer.
The 7-5 edge lasted until the home half of the frame, when UT-Martin pulled even yet again on two-run homer by Jordon Owen.
The two schools traded zeros in the eighth and ninth, including the Skyhawks working out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth, to pave the way for Black's heroics in the 10th.
Offensively, Purdue finished the contest with 16 hits, including a season-high four home runs, and had six players finish with two or more hits. Overmyer led the way individually, finishing 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. Moore added three hits and an RBI in six at bats, while Haveman (2 for 4, 2 R), Black (2 for 4, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R), Charles (2 for 6, HR, RBI, R) and Eric Nielsen (2 for 6, 2 2B) all finished with two hits.
Purdue will return to action on Saturday when it squares off against SIU Edwardsville at 2 p.m. EDT. Matt Morgan is the scheduled starter for the Boilers.