March 13, 2013
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(by Brenda Krieg)
The Boilermakers (5-10) struck out a season-high 12 times versus five Louisville (13-2) pitchers, falling to 2-2 on their spring break trip. Up next is a three-game series at Evansville that opens Friday evening.
The Purdue pitching limited the Cardinals to seven hits, but walks and timely knocks helped the home team score three times. Mike Lutz worked a season-high four innings of two-run ball in his first collegiate start. Brett Andrzejewski worked the final three innings, surrendering only two hits.
Lutz (0-2) retired eight consecutive hitters from first through fourth innings. Andrzejewski retired the first five hitters he faced and eight of the 10 total.
Stephen Talbott's leadoff triple in the fifth inning, his ninth career three-bagger, led to the Boilers' only run. Jack Picchiotti followed with a ground ball to first base and Talbott scored without a throw. Jake Hansen also singled in the fifth to extend his team-best hitting streak to eight consecutive games.
Those were the only hits Purdue recorded against U of L starter Anthony Kidston (3-0), who entered the day having surrendered only two hits over 10 innings this season. He fanned six and walked two over 5 1/3 innings Wednesday. After the freshman also pitched three scoreless innings of relief in the first meeting of the season between the two teams Feb. 17 in St. Petersburg, Fla., he stuck out 11 over 8 1/3 innings of one-run ball against Purdue this year.
The speed of Louisville leadoff man Adam Engel helped create two of his team's three runs. He beat out bunt singles in the first and fifth innings, stealing his way to third base on both occasions. Coco Johnson delivered the run-scoring hits in both frames. A one-out walk to Cole Sturgeon and two-out single from Shane Crain also plated a run for Louisville in the bottom of the fourth.
Engel also made a nice running catch in left center to rob Talbott of an extra-base hit in seventh inning.
Three of the 11 hits in the game were triples. Sturgeon tripled to lead off the eighth but got thrown out at the plate on a botched suicide squeeze attempt. Crain was unable to get the bunt down with the runner heading home on the pitch. Purdue catcher Josh Estill, who had just entered the game, chased Sturgeon back towards third base, but missed the tag as Sturgeon dove underneath the freshman. Estill got up and made a strong throw to Andrzejewski covering the plate to record the out.
Purdue had the leadoff man aboard three times but was only able to score in the fifth inning. Brandon Krieg drew a game-opening walk to reach base safely for an eighth consecutive game. He was stranded at third base as the inning came to an end.
Jack Amaro and Sean McHugh both singled to put the tying run on base in the eighth inning, but the new U of L reliever Kyle McGrath won his lefty-lefty matchup with Kyle Wood to end the inning.
Purdue struck out at least once in every inning but the first.
Steve Maniago pinch ran for McHugh in the eighth inning, becoming the 16th Boiler to make his regular-season debut for the team this year. Purdue ranks among the top five nationally in new players that have seen action for the first time.
Friday's series opener at Evansville is slated for 7 p.m. ET first pitch.