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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue baseball scored in four different frames and received another quality start at home from Shane Bryant, defeating Penn State, 8-2, Thursday evening in the opener of the season-finale series at Alexander Field.
The Boilermakers (19-34, 5-17 Big Ten) won for the fifth time in their last six games and are now riding a four-game win streak for the first time since winning their first four games of the 2012 postseason. Purdue scored three of its first four runs with two outs and later blew the game-open with a four-run seventh inning.
Bryant (3-3) worked six-plus innings of two-run ball, retiring 13 of 14 batters from the second through sixth innings. In his first appearance since April 21, Matt Gibbs entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh inning. He retired the first three batters he faced, allowing only one inherited runner to score and keeping the Boilers in front, 4-2.
Brandon Krieg had three hits and two RBI to improve to 12-for-25 with 8 RBI during the current six-game hot stretch. Kyle Johnson tripled over the center fielder's head in the second inning and later singled home a pair in the four-run seventh. He has reached base safely in 18 consecutive games and is now 13-for-24 with six extra-base hits and 7 RBI over the last six games.
Highlights From the BTN Telecast
Purdue wins their series opener against Penn State 8-2! #BoilerUp http://t.co/1Q2uXuz4yr
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 14, 2015
Bryant allowed a pair of runners to reach base safely in each of the first two innings, but was able to strand runners on the corners in the top of the first and two more the following the frame. In his six starts at Alexander Field this season Bryant went 3-1 with 32 strikeouts and a 2.45 ERA over 33 innings. The Boilermakers were 4-2 in those six games.
Purdue sent nine men to the plate in the seventh inning, answering PSU's two-spot in the top of the frame. Harry Shipley doubled down the left field line to give the Boilers runners on second and third with one out. Penn State (18-29, 6-15 Big Ten) brought the infield in, but Alec Olund was still able to score when the first baseman bobbled a ground ball off the bat of Cody Strong that went for an error. Krieg reached on a bunt single to load the bases and Kyle Wood was hit by a pitch for the 38th time in his career to force in a run. Johnson followed with the two-run single.
Brett Carlson plated Johnson in the second inning with a line drive sacrifice fly to center field for Purdue's first run of the game. Johnson's triple moments earlier had one hopped the wall as one of the farthest-hit balls to center field at Alexander Field this year. The Boilers' center fielder later robbed Tyler Kendall of a leadoff base hit in the fourth inning with a slick diving catch in left center.
The first four hitters in the Purdue lineup all reached safely with two outs in the third inning, leading to a pair of runs. With Shipley and Strong aboard, Krieg and Wood came through with consecutive RBI singles.
Game two of the series is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday.
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Shane Bryant & Matt Gibbs discuss tonight's 8-2 win vs Penn State. #Boilers have won 5 of their last 6. http://t.co/ihcRmq91ia
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 15, 2015
Now this a #BTNStandout play from @PurdueBaseball's Kyle Johnson. http://t.co/w30iaj2YCU
-- Purdue on BTN (@PurdueOnBTN) May 14, 2015