WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Shane Bryant struck out a career-high nine over eight innings of five-hit ball, leading Purdue baseball to its second shutout victory of the season, 6-0, against Ball State Wednesday afternoon at Alexander Field.
The Boilermakers (13-28) scored three times in the first inning thanks to three extra-base hits. Leadoff man Harry Shipley reached base safely four times and drove in a run with an RBI ground out in his other at-bat.
Bryant (2-3) worked a trio of 1-2-3 innings and did not issue a walk in the longest outing of the season by a Purdue pitcher. He retired 12 of 13 batters from the third through sixth innings and surrendered just a bunt single from the fourth through seventh. The right-hander pounded the strike zone early and often, throwing 75 strikes among his 105 pitches.
Bryant's nine strikeouts were the most by a Boilermaker since Brad Schreiber also fanned nine in March 2013 at Penn State. He became the first Purdue pitcher to work at least eight scoreless innings in an outing since Joe Haase pitched a complete-game shutout against Michigan in May 2012. Bryant is the first Boiler to work at least eight innings without issuing a walk since Gavin Downs did not walk a batter in his complete game vs. Ohio State in April of last season.
In the 2-0 home-opening win against Valparaiso March 18, it was Bryant that earned the victory with 5 1/3 scoreless innings. He has compiled a 1.61 ERA and struck out 21 over 22 1/3 innings pitched at Alexander Field this season.
Shane Bryant & Kyle Wood Discuss the Win
Kyle Wood and Daniel Sander each had a pair of hits and reached base safely three times. Brandon Krieg drove in a run with a triple in the second inning and a sac fly in the bottom of the eighth. Wood and Jordan Lewis both doubled in a run after Krieg's RBI triple.
Cody Strong made the top defensive play of the game when he made a diving catch in right center to take away a bloop single from Matt Eppers in the ninth inning.
The chase. The dive. The great defensive play. Cody Strong helped keep the shutout for @PurdueBaseball! #BTNStandout http://t.co/dfYxNTtHQv
-- BTN Student U (@BTNStudentU) April 23, 2015
Ball State (24-15) used eight pitchers, none working more than an inning and two-thirds. The Cardinals made a pitching change before Wood came to the plate in each of his final four at-bats.
The first two batters reached base safely for the Boilers in the first, fourth and sixth innings, and they went on to score in all three frames. Purdue also capitalized on a pair of errors by Ball State outfielders, with both the left and right fielders overrunning ground ball base hits.
After singles by Brett Carlson and Sander along with the error by the left fielder in the bottom of the fourth, the Boilers had runners on second and third with one out as the Cardinals brought the infield in. Shipley hit a sharp ground ball through the heart of the infield that shortstop Alex Maloney made a diving stop on to prevent both runners from scoring. The next two batters walked, but Purdue left the bases loaded.
Shipley was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning for the Big Ten-leading 14th time this season, tying Wood's team freshman record from 2013.
The Boilermakers' six-game homestand continues Friday when it begins its Big Ten Conference series with No. 20 Maryland. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.
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