April 3, 2009
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue baseball team lost its second straight conference game, falling to Iowa 15-7 in the opener of a three-game Big Ten series on Friday. The loss dropped the Boilers to 11-12 overall and 1-2 in the league, while Iowa improved to 11-13 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten.
The Hawkeyes, who finished with 18 hits on the day including eight doubles, broke the game open by scoring five runs off of Purdue ace Matt Bischoff in the second inning.
Iowa led off the frame with doubles by Wes Freie and Chett Zeise sandwiched around a T.J. Cataldo single to put the Hawkeyes on the board 1-0. The Hawkeyes added runs on a base hit by Ryan Durant, a bases loaded walk to Justin Toole, a sacrifice fly by Kevin Hoef and a passed ball that glanced off Purdue catcher Eric Nielsen's glove to go up 5-0.
The Boilers countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning on a two-run single by Eric Charles, but Iowa plated a single run in the top of the third and two more in the sixth to push the advantage to 8-2 through five and half innings.
Nielsen and Brandon Haveman cut the deficit in half with an RBI triple and double, respectively, in the bottom of the sixth, but Iowa answered again with two in the seventh before tacking on five more in the ninth.
Purdue rallied for three runs with two outs in the ninth, but Hawkeye reliever Kevin Lee finally ended the Boilers comeback attempt by getting Charles to ground into a game-ending fielder's choice.
Iowa's Toole led the way at the plate, finishing 4 for 5 with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Ziese led all players with four runs driven in and two doubles.
The Boilers' Haveman reached base in all four of his plate appearances, finishing 2 for 2 with a double, an RBI, a walk and a hit by pitch. Senior Alex Jaffee went 3 for 4 with three runs scored for Purdue in the loss.
Iowa starter Nick Brown (2-1) picked up his second win of the season, surrendering four runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. He struck out four and walked three.
Purdue's Bischoff (2-2) was charged with his second loss, allowing eight runs, six earned, on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked three.
In anticipation of foul weather forcast for Sunday, the two schools will play a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch for the opening contest of the double dip is scheduled for noon EDT.