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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue baseball scored six times in the first inning thanks to five consecutive two-out hits, a rally that propelled the Boilermakers to a 9-6 victory versus Illinois State in the finale of a six-game homestand at Alexander Field.
Purdue's six-run inning was its most productive since scoring 15 times in the bottom of the second in an April 24, 2013, home win vs. Illinois-Chicago.
Tuesday marked the first time the home team won in the Purdue-Illinois State midweek series since the Boilers' were victorious at Lambert Field in April 2008. The road team had won the last seven games in the series.
All nine starters in the Boilers' lineup had at least one hit. The 13 hits matched the team's season high in a game at Alexander Field. Brandon Krieg and Alec Olund each recorded a pair of RBI and scored twice. Kyle Wood, James Jewell and Olund all registered a pair of hits. Wood reached base safely four times.
Shane Bryant struck out eight over 4 2/3 innings, including six of the first 11 batters he faced. But the strikeouts coupled with three walks and numerous foul balls ran up Bryant's pitch count quickly. Nearing 120 pitches, he was unable to record the final out of the fifth inning. However, the junior fanned 17 batters over 12 2/3 innings in his two starts during the homestand.
Check out a few highlights from tonight's win over Illinois State, courtesy of our BTN Student U crew. http://t.co/Mn9oiBMAqI
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 29, 2015
Alex Lyons (1-1) retired the final seven batters he faced, including consecutive 1-2-3 frames in the eighth and ninth, to close out the victory and earn his first win as a Boilermaker.
Purdue's three-run fourth inning proved to be the difference in the game. The rally allowed the Boilers to answer ISU's two-spot in the top of the frame that opened the scoring for the visitors. Daniel Sander delivered the big hit of the bottom of the fourth, a two-out, two-run pinch hit single. Wood ignited the rally with a double and Olund also singled home a run in the frame.
The Boilermakers (14-31) racked up seven hits and sent 10 men to the plate in the first inning. Krieg's two-run, opposite-field double into right center opened the scoring, plating Cody Strong and Wood. Olund followed with an RBI single and scored from first base on Jewell's double to right center. Ted Snidanko singled home Jewell and scored on Hayden Grant's double to left center.
After starter Craig Larkin (1-1) gave up six runs on seven hits in one inning, Illinois State (21-21) went on to use six pitchers in the game. Purdue was limited to just one hit after the fourth inning, but the seven-run lead it had built by then was good enough for the win.
That lone hit over the second half of the game came from Harry Shipley leading off the eighth inning, allowing the freshman to extend his hitting streak to 10 consecutive games and reached base safely streak to 14 straight. Shipley has matched Wood for the longest hit streak and Kyle Johnson for the longest reached safely streak on the team this season.
Brian Ghiselli retired the first batter he faced to end the fifth inning, leaving runners on the corners. He worked a scoreless sixth but gave up a leadoff double and a walk in the seventh. The Redbirds brought the potential tying run to the plate in the seventh after a pair of run-scoring singles and a walk, but Lyons regrouped and finished off the frame and then the game. He retired the first six hitters in the ISU lineup in order over the final two innings.
Purdue returns to action Friday when it begins a three-game Big Ten series at Michigan State. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be televised live by the Big Ten Network.
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James Jewell, Alex Lyons & Doug Schreiber Discuss the Win
Some beautiful light at the @PurdueBaseball game tonight. pic.twitter.com/ME7T3z07Mh
-- PinolaPhoto (@pinolaphoto) April 29, 2015
Sad it's my last night of working @PurdueBaseball, but couldn't have asked for a more perfect night at the ballpark. ✨⚾️🚂
-- Megan Auger (@megan_auger) April 28, 2015
Thanks @PurdueBaseball for my daughters opportunity to announce!! #boilerforlife @PurdueSoftball she's coming to see you tomorrow!!
-- Jill (@jill_bahler) April 28, 2015
Kyle Wood talks with @BTNStudentU after @PurdueBaseball takes down Illinois State, 9-6 on Tuesday. http://t.co/IvzUGd3Qge
-- Purdue on BTN (@PurdueOnBTN) April 29, 2015