April 14, 2011
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Purdue baseball rallied late in the game for the second day in a row, scoring six times over the final two innings to erase a one-run deficit entering the eighth and defeat IPFW, 8-3, Wednesday evening at Parkview Field.The Boilermakers (22-11) scored four times in the eighth inning. It marked the sixth game in a row in which Purdue has scored at least four runs in a frame.
Eric Charles posted his fourth career four-hit game, singling home the game-tying run with the bases loaded in the eighth inning. Kevin Plawecki matched his career high with four RBIs, driving in the go-ahead tally with a two-run single in the eighth. He also delivered a two-run base hit in the first inning.
Cameron Perkins went 3-for-5, extending his career-best hitting streak to 15 consecutive games and posting his fifth straight multi-hit effort.
The relief work of Lance Breedlove and Sean Collins highlighted the night on the mound for Purdue. Breedlove kept the Boilers in the game with 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Collins struck out the first four batters he faced, two Ks coming with two aboard in the bottom of the eighth, and closed out the win for his first save of the year and third career.
The Boilermakers jumped ahead early but did not have a base runner from the fourth through seventh innings. IPFW starter Ryan August (1-3) retired 13 consecutive Purdue batters from the end of the third through the seventh. But he hit Stephen Talbott to begin the eighth inning, opening the door for the four-run rally.
Charles' single was Purdue's first hit of the eighth inning, walks to David Miller and Tyler Spillner loading the bases.
IPFW (8-18) brought in weekend starter Samuel Walker to face Spillner, who looked to execute a sacrifice bunt but ended up drawing a four-pitch walk. Charles then hit the second pitch of his at-bat into right field for a game-tying single.
Plawecki also delivered an opposite-field single into right center, plating Spillner and Charles and allowing Perkins to go first to third. Perkins scored moments later on an RBI ground out to the right side off the bat of Barrett Serrato.
Collins took over on the mound with one out and runners on first and second in the bottom of the eighth. He struck out the first two batters he faced to end the threat. After Purdue had padded the lead, he fanned the first two batters in the IPFW lineup to begin the ninth.
Breedlove would have been able to keep the game tied if not for a one-out error in the fourth inning. IPFW took advantage of the extra out when Garrett Segraves gave his team the lead with a two-out, run-scoring single. But Breedlove bounced back by striking out the Mastodons' leading hitter, Will Faulkner, to end the inning and limit the damage.
While August was cruising through the Purdue lineup, Breedlove was able to retire six straight IPFW hitters beginning with a 6-4-3 double play ball to end the fifth inning. Pat Gannon (1-0) took over after Breedlove retired the first two batters of the bottom of the seventh.
Charles, Perkins and Plawecki were a combined 9-for-15 with seven RBIs and four runs scored. Back-to-back hits by Charles and Perkins set the stage for Plawecki's two-run single in the first inning. Charles and Perkins both singled home an insurance tally in the ninth.
The Boilermakers continue their 10-game road stretch Friday when they open a three-game series at Penn State. First pitch in Happy Valley is set for 6:30 p.m.