March 10, 2012
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MURRAY, Ky. - Purdue pounded out a school-record 30 hits and scored eight runs in an inning twice, reaching the 20-run plateau for the first time since March 2008 in a 22-1 win at Murray State Saturday afternoon.The 29th-ranked Boilermakers (10-1) won their sixth straight game and kept pace with the 1959 team as the last in program history to win 10 of its first 11 contests.
With the game tied 1-1 in the top of the fourth, Tyler Spillner connected for a three-run homer down the right field line. It was the senior's 200th career hit. Kevin Plawecki also hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning, going deep for the third time in the last four games.
On a day in which the offense was dominant, Purdue's pitching and defense also made major contributions. Starter Lance Breedlove (2-1) worked six innings of one-run ball, giving up only two hits and retiring 13 of the final 14 batters he faced. He recorded three consecutive 1-2-3 innings after the Boilers tied the game in the top of the third.
Purdue turned four double plays in a game for the third time this year, highlighted by a 2-5-4 twin killing on a MSU sac bunt attempt with two aboard and no outs in the second inning. The Boilermakers turned 6-4-3 double plays in the sixth and seventh innings and a line-drive twin killing in the eighth.
Purdue sent 12 men to the plate in the eight-run sixth inning that blew the game open. The Boilermakers later scored eight times with two outs in the top of the ninth.
Eric Charles, Cameron Perkins and Stephen Talbott all finished with four hits. Talbott had two hits in the sixth inning en route to recording his first collegiate four-hit game. Plawecki recorded a career-high five RBIs. Spillner's four RBIs also represented a career high.
Purdue scored eight runs on 10 hits against MSU starting pitcher Cameron Finch (2-1), who had limited the opposition to only one run in each of his first two home starts.
The first six hitters to bat for the Boilers in the sixth inning reached base safely. Runs scored on the plays in which Murray recorded the three outs of the frame. Perkins and Plawecki connected for consecutive two-run doubles, accounting for a good part of the damage in the inning.
The Boilermakers scored their first run of the day thanks in part to a pair of errors. Charles led off the third inning with a base hit, stole second base and took third when the throw went into center field. Plawecki hit a fly ball to short right field. A potential close play at the plate became a moot point when the MSU right fielder dropped the ball.
Purdue strung together seven consecutive two-out hits in the ninth inning to setup another eight-run rally. Chris Antonelli (RBI double), Charles (two-run single) and Sean McHugh (two-run triple) accounted for the notable hits of the frame.
Purdue has scored seven or more runs in an inning five times this season. All five occurrences have come in the sixth inning or later. The Boilermakers have outscored the opposition 67-20 from the sixth through ninth innings.
The previous program record for hits was 26, accomplished twice, most recently in a 2006 win at Indiana (25-8). That game also marked the last time Purdue scored 20-plus runs in a road game.
Perkins and Talbott both accounted for seven at-bats in the win Saturday to tie a program single-game record. Talbott had seven official at-bats in a game for the second time in his career. Charles four-hit effort was the seventh of his career, which ranks as the most among active players.
The Boilermakers will go for the three-game series sweep Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.