WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue baseball's pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts and the Boilermakers closed out a victory with a line drive double play for the second time this season, winning their home opener versus Valparaiso, 2-0, Wednesday evening at Alexander Field.
Purdue (8-11) improved to 13-4 in home openers under 17th-year head coach Doug Schreiber. It was the Boilers' first shutout win since defeating Penn State, 5-0, on the first Sunday of April last season.
Jack Picchiotti connected for a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning and Cody Strong came through with a two-out RBI single in the seventh. Picchiotti went deep for the second time in the last four games.
Shane Bryant and Kyle Wood each recorded five strikeouts. Bryant (1-0) earned his first win in his first start as a Boilermaker, surrendering only four singles over 5 1/3 innings. A number of foul balls and deep counts ran up Bryant's pitch count quickly, but the junior needed only six pitches for a 1-2-3 fourth inning, helping him stay in the game through the sixth and qualify for the win.
Joe Eichmann walked the first batter he faced on four pitches, but struck out the next two Valpo hitters to strand runners on second and third in the top of the sixth inning.
Wood struck out five of the 11 batters he faced over 2 1/3 innings of one-hit relief in his first outing since Valentine's Day. The lefthander fanned 12 over 5 1/3 innings and 12 of the 26 batters he has faced this season.
Shane Bryant, Cody Strong & Doug Schreiber Discuss the Win
An inning-opening error and a walk gave Valpo (4-12) runners on first and second with one out in the ninth. Alex Lyons replaced Wood on the mound and threw only one pitch. Pinch hitter Kyle Schneider hit a line drive to Strong at second base. Shortstop Harry Shipley beat Josh Clark to the second base bag to take the throw from Strong and complete the game-ending twin killing. Purdue also finished off a 5-3 win against Gonzaga on a line drive double play to shortstop with the bases loaded Feb. 26 in Phoenix.
The Boilermakers had three other chances to turn double plays earlier in the game but the runner was safe at first on all three occasions.
Purdue did not have multiple base runners in an inning until the bottom of the seventh. Wood and Picchiotti opened the inning with consecutive singles, but the Crusaders cut down the lead runner at third base on Ted Snidanko's sacrifice bunt attempt. But after a fly out to center field, Strong came through with his second hit of the day to drive in an insurance run. Jason Condit replaced Valpo starter Ellis Foreman after Strong's single and issued a four-pitch walk to Shipley, but got of the jam thanks to a strikeout.
Foreman (1-1) gave up six hits and one walk over 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball.
Picchiotti threw out his ninth base stealer of the season to erase Bryant's one-out walk in the third inning. Purdue pitchers finished off an inning with a strikeout five times.
The Boilermakers return to action Friday when they open Big Ten Conference play by hosting league newcomer Rutgers for the first time. First pitch of the series opener is slated for 5:30 p.m.