WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Indiana State scored five unanswered runs after Purdue baseball's four-run fourth inning, and the Sycamores won the game, 7-6, Wednesday evening to split the midweek season series at a game apiece.
Jack Picchiotti connected for his fourth home run of the season and fifth as a Boilermaker to lead off the bottom of the ninth, but ISU (17-21) had already tacked on an insurance run in the top of the frame thanks to a leadoff walk and a pair of errors.
Indiana State's Manuel Estevez delivered a two-run single in both the sixth and seventh innings. He also drove in the insurance run in the top of the ninth with a fielder's choice ground ball near the second base bag to finish with five RBI.
Harry Shipley singled in each of final three at-bats, reaching base safely for the ninth straight game, but also committed both errors in the ninth inning that led the game-deciding insurance run.
The Boilermakers (12-28) sent nine men to the plate and scored four times on five hits in the fourth inning. Four straight hits from Brandon Krieg, Kyle Wood, Kyle Johnson and Brett Carlson followed by a walk to Picchiotti comprised the majority of the rally. All five Boilers reached base safely before ISU recorded the first out. Krieg ignited the rally with a double. Wood, Carlson, Alec Olund and Shipley each drove in a run in the frame.
Estevez singled through the right side with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning to drive in the tying and go-ahead runs. An inning earlier, he also singled with the bases loaded to plate a pair. Johnson threw out a runner at third base from center field on the play for the first out of the of the inning, and the outfield assist helped Purdue keep the lead at 5-4 entering the bottom of the sixth.
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Connor Schwienebart (3-0) surrendered only one hit over three innings of scoreless relief. He allowed a pair of inherited runners to score in the Boilers' four-run frame, but retired seven consecutive batters beginning with the final out of the bottom of the fourth.
Purdue had runners on the corners with no outs in the seventh inning after a leadoff walk to pinch hitter Daniel Sander and a single by Shipley. But ISU closer Austin Conway struck out Cody Strong and induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Krieg. Conway struck out four over his three innings of one-run relief.
Brian Ghiselli escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third inning, pitched over a two-out double in the fourth and worked a 1-2-3 top of the fifth against the top of the Sycamores' lineup. But each of the first three batters reached base safely against him to begin the sixth. The right-hander did not give up a run while he was on the mound in his longest outing as a Boilermaker.
Starter Gavin Downs worked a 1-2-3 frame in the top of the first, but gave up a two-run homer to ISU's Connor McClain an inning later. McClain reached base safely four times on the night and scored four times.
Olund dropped a foul ball in the right field corner to begin the top of the second and that batter ended up reaching base in front of McClain's home run. Olund made up for it with a leaping catch at the fence to take a double away from Kaden Moore to end the inning.
Picchiotti's home run was Purdue's 13th in 13 games this month and the team's 10th in 13 games at Alexander Field this year. Picchiotti went deep in each of the first two home games of the season, but had not homered since.
The Boilermakers' six-game homestand continues Wednesday with a midweek rematch with Ball State. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.
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.@kplawecki26 says he is going to give the ball from his 1st ML hit to his parents who were in attendance tonight. pic.twitter.com/yVeFpjikLj
-- New York Mets (@Mets) April 22, 2015
Watch @Mets #2 prospect Kevin Plawecki collect his first @MLB hit - with his parents on hand: http://t.co/3Ly5DOGtbu pic.twitter.com/JBVExyVHia
- MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 22, 2015
Congrats to #Mets C Kevin Plawecki on his first MLB hit.... 5th inning single off Trevor Cahill. #BoilerUp
-- Dan Plesac (@Plesac19) April 22, 2015
The @PurdueBaseball press box just cheered loudly as @kplawecki26 got his first MLB hit for the @Mets! #BoilerUp
-- Matthew Staudt (@mstaudt1589) April 22, 2015