CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- An early home run by Jordan Lewis coupled with a strong outing on the mound from Matt Frawley allowed Purdue baseball to keep pace with No. 11 Illinois, but the Illini turned back-to-back singles to open the seventh inning into the go-ahead to win the series finale, 2-1, Monday evening.
Illinois (29-6-1, 8-1 Big Ten) extended its winning streak to 10 consecutive games and improved to 8-1 against the Boilers over the last three years, all nine games being played in Champaign. Purdue (11-24, 1-8 Big Ten) dropped its eighth straight Big Ten game while being swept for the third consecutive weekend for the first time since starting the 2008 season 0-9.
For the series, the Fighting Illini only had one more hit (26-25) than the Boilers. But a 9-5 edge in extra-base hits helped lead to a 17-7 advantage in runs scored for the home team. A leadoff triple in the fourth inning Monday led to the first run of the game for Illinois. Over the three games, Purdue was just 3-for-28 with runners in scoring position and did not record a two-out RBI. Illinois wasn't much better at 6-for-26 with runners in scoring position, scoring both of its runs Monday on ground balls to the left side of the infield.
Lewis connected for his second home run in the last six games, going deep to right field in the second inning.
Highlights from the BTN Telecast Monday Night
Frawley (1-6) settled in after escaping an ugly first inning without surrendering a run. He entered the seventh inning having only allowed four hits on the night. But consecutive singles from Illinois' six and seven hitters, Jason Goldenstein and David Kerian, gave the home team runners on the corners with no outs.
Joe Eichmann took over on the mound and struck out the first batter he faced. Speedy nine-hole hitter Will Krug then hit a slow chopper to the left side. It was going to be enough to plate the go-ahead run anyway, but the Boilers did not record an out on the play when shortstop Harry Shipley threw the ball into right field.
Eichmann retired the next batter and Matt Gibbs escaped a bases-loaded jam to keep it a one-run game. Gibbs went on to strikeout the side versus Illinois' 4-5-6 hitters in his 1-2-3 eighth inning.
Kyle Wood doubled to lead off the fourth inning for the second day in a row. He hit safely in all nine games at Illinois Field the last three years and extended his current overall hitting streak to nine consecutive games. In Big Ten play, he has reached base safely in 15 straight games dating back to last year.
Unfortunately, Purdue stranded Wood at third base again. He took third with only one out when Lewis grounded out to first base, but Illinois starter John Kravetz struck out Kyle Johnson and got Jack Picchiotti to ground out to second base. For the series, the Boilers had a runner on third base with less than two outs five times. They only cashed in and scored that runner twice. Conversely, Illinois took advantage of eight of their 13 chances in the same setting, including for both of its runs Monday.
After he had not appeared in the first two games of the series, the Illini brought their standout closer Tyler Jay into the game to begin the sixth inning. He retired 11 of the 12 batters he faced over four innings to close out the game. The only hit he allowed, a leadoff single to Johnson in the top of the seventh, was erased by an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. Jay (5-1) struck out four of the final six batters he faced after each of the first six Boilers he faced put the ball in play.
Purdue had its leadoff man aboard four times Monday and 11 times for the series, but did not plate that runner after the first inning of game two Sunday.
Reid Roper led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a line drive into the gap in left center. He rolled the dice and went for the triple, sliding in safely when Shipley's cutoff throw was a wide of the bag and a little high. Pat McInerney followed with an RBI ground out to shortstop, doing what the Boilers had failed to do in the top half of the inning - put the ball in play with a runner on third and less than two outs.
The Boilermakers return to action Wednesday when they host IPFW for the second time this year. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.
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