April 1, 2011
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MINNEAPOLIS - Purdue baseball pounded out 14 hits but left 11 runners on base and didn't score until it already trailed 8-0, dropping its Big Ten Conference opener at Minnesota, 9-5, Friday afternoon at Target Field.
The Gophers (9-8, 1-0 Big Ten) scored six times in the fifth inning after seven consecutive batters reached base safely.
The Boilermakers (16-9, 0-1 Big Ten) got back in the game with five runs over the next two innings and had the potential tying run on first base in the seventh. But Minnesota reliever Billy Soule got Tyler Spillner to lineup out to right field with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Spillner extended his career-best hitting streak to 10 consecutive games with a game-opening single. It was the first of six times on the day that Purdue's leadoff man reached base safely. However, that runner only scored twice, once coming on Cameron Perkins' home run in the seventh inning.
Stephen Talbott went 3-for-3 with an RBI double, a pair of bunt singles and a walk. He drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run in the seventh. Barrett Serrato also had three hits and scored twice.
Ryan Bridges doubled twice, finally getting Purdue on the scoreboard with a two-run two-bagger in the sixth inning. He also doubled to right against Minnesota closer Scott Maytas in the ninth, connecting for the first extra-base hit and only second hit total against the nasty right-hander this season.
Purdue starter Matt Morgan (2-1) worked 4 1/3 innings in his first start since March 11. Three of the six runs he allowed scored on a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning after he had left the game. Morgan retired 10 consecutive hitters from the second through fifth innings.
Minnesota first baseman Nick O'Shea made the key defensive play of the game when he speared a line drive off the bat of Eric Charles with runners on second and third and one out in the third inning. Purdue trailed 2-0 at the time and the line drive most likely would have gone for extra bases into the right field corner had O'Shea not made the diving catch.
The Boilermakers stranded at least two runners in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings. Nine of the 11 runners left on base were stranded in scoring position.
Purdue answered the Gophers' six-run fifth inning by recording three consecutive hits to open the top of the sixth. Kevin Plawecki and Serrato both scored on a double to left center by Bridges, who later traded places with Talbott at second base when Talbott connected for a similar gapper.
A base hit by Serrato and walk to Bridges restarted a rally for the Boilers in the seventh inning after Perkins led off the frame with his third home run of the season and 11th career. Serrato was held at third base on a two-out single by Payton Bieker that chased lefty Tom Windle. Soule struggled to find the strike zone, walking Talbott on four pitches to force in run and going 3-0 on Spillner, whose line drive to right field hung up and was caught by Trip Schultz.
Minnesota blew the game open with three consecutive run-scoring extra-base hits in the fifth inning. Dan Olinger's double into the right field corner cleared the bases and doubled Purdue's deficit from 3-0 to 6-0.
The Gophers took an early lead by scoring a single run in each of the first two innings. Back-to-back singles and consecutive walks led to a first-inning tally after Morgan quickly retired the first two batters of the game. A leadoff double, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly allowed Minnesota to manufacture another run in the second inning.
The series concludes with Saturday's doubleheader, slated for a 2:05 p.m. (EDT) first pitch.