Box Score | Series Stats | March Stats
INDIANAPOLIS -- Butler scored all five of its runs over the first three innings, building a four-run lead Purdue baseball could not overcome in a 5-3 final in favor of the home team Sunday afternoon.
The Bulldogs (12-14) pushed their win streak to nine consecutive games after sweeping the weekend series, returning the favor after the Boilers won all three meetings in the 2014 season series. Purdue (9-18) has lost seven in a row.
Shane Bryant (3 1/3 IP, 3 H) and Davin Downs (2 hitless IP) teamed up for 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, giving the Boilers an opportunity to get back in the game. Kyle Wood finally delivered Purdue's first timely hit of the series in the top of the sixth, doubling home a pair of runs to cut the deficit to 5-3.
The Boilermakers had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh inning, but couldn't score. They also brought the potential tying run to the plate in the ninth after a one-out double from Brandon Krieg.
Harry Shipley batted leadoff for the first time this season and reached base safely three times thanks to a game-opening single and two walks. The freshman finished the series having reached safely in eight of his 12 plate appearances.
Butler tallied seven hits and two walks against Purdue starter Matt Frawley (1-4) over the course of the sophomore's two trips through the lineup. Eight Bulldogs came to the plate in a three-run second inning. After a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt, catcher Jack Picchiotti was unable to make the catch on a foul pop up directly behind home plate that the wind played tricks with. Frawley ended up hitting that batter with a pitch. Three of the next four Butler batters drove in a run, with the final tallying being an unearned run after Shipley couldn't handle a slow chopper to shortstop for what would have been the second out.
Ted Snidanko and Kyle Johnson were aboard when Wood doubled into right center with a 1-2 count in the sixth inning. Johnson had driven in the Boilers' first run of the game in the opening inning with an RBI ground out.
Consecutive singles from Cody Strong and Brandon Krieg to open the top of the seventh chased Butler starter Nick Morton (2-2), who struck out four and issued just one walk over six-plus innings. After a strikeout of Jeff Evak, Josh Goldberg walked Shipley to load the bases. But Snidanko hit an infield fly pop out and Goldberg struck out Johnson to end the threat. Both strikeouts came on a called third strike.
Justin Gubser made a bid for a game-tying pinch hit home run in the ninth inning, but left fielder Drew Small made the catch on the warning track.
The Boilermakers return to action Wednesday when they host IPFW at 5:30 p.m.