May 18, 2012
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- One day after hitting a season-high four home runs, No. 13 Purdue baseball was unable to record an extra-base hit against unbeaten lefty Sasha Kuebel, losing the middle game of a weekend series at Iowa, 6-1, Friday evening.The Boilermakers (41-11, 17-6 Big Ten) lost on a Friday for the first time this year. Saturday's rubber game will be only Purdue's second of the Big Ten season.
Kuebel (6-0) limited the Boilers to eight singles in his second complete game of the season. Purdue recorded multiple hits in only one inning, the fourth. Stephen Talbott's two-out single in the fifth inning accounted for the only run.
Meanwhile, Iowa (22-27, 9-14 Big Ten) scored four times in the fourth inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from Chett Zeise. It was his team-leading fourth long ball of the year but only the ninth of the season for the Hawkeyes. The extended rally marked only the sixth time this season an opponent has scored four or more runs in an inning against the Boilers.
Purdue starter Lance Breedlove (7-5) was actually cruising along until the fourth inning, retiring 10 of the first 11 batters he faced. But a hard hit ground ball off the bat of Mike McQuillan got through Ryan Bridges at first base and went for a triple, igniting the rally. With the infield in and one out, Breedlove was ahead in the count 0-2 on cleanup hitter Phil Keppler, but he eventually walked Keppler. A sinking line drive got past David Miller at shortstop for an RBI single for Jacob Yacinich, plating the first run of the game. Zeise followed with his three-run homer to left field.
Coincidentally, Kuebel only recorded one 1-2-3 inning, retiring the side in order to begin the night. The Boilermakers had the leadoff man reach base safely in three straight innings in the middle of the game, but that runner did not end up scoring. The run Purdue did manage to score was aided by a wild pitch, which was only Kuebel's second of the season.
Eric Charles scored the Boilers' lone run after reaching first on a fielder's choice. However, the senior's reached base safely streak in Big Ten play ended at 36 consecutive games.
Cameron Perkins was the only Purdue player to finish with multiple hits, singling in the fourth and eighth innings. He hit two runs in Thursday's series opener, but on this day both of his fly balls to left field were caught on the warning track.
The series concludes Saturday at 1 p.m. The Boilermakers were victorious in their only true rubber game this year, winning 8-3 April 22 at Nebraska. A victory Saturday would give Purdue its ninth consecutive Big Ten series victory dating back to a sweep of Iowa last season.