Box Scores: Purdue-North Dakota / Purdue-Kansas // Tournament Stats
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Mike Lutz and Matt Frawley teamed up on a shutout effort in an afternoon win against North Dakota, highlighting Purdue baseball's day-night doubleheader Saturday at Kansas' Millard Management Classic.
The Boilermakers (3-10) defeated UND 5-0, but lost to the host Jayhawks 8-1 in a game that was moved up from Sunday afternoon due to thunderstorms in the forecast.
Kyle Johnson and Kyle Wood both connected for their fourth home runs of the season. Johnson hit a two-run homer to left field in the fifth inning of the North Dakota win. Wood's solo shot to center field accounted for Purdue's only run of the loss to Kansas.
The Boilermakers turned three double plays in their first shutout win since April of last season. Lutz worked the first five innings and Frawley the final four frames. Lutz (1-0) escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the second inning after Wood made a diving stop at first base to take away a two-run single. He did not give up a hit to any of the final eight batters he faced. Frawley retired six of the final seven batters he faced, earning his third career save.
But after Lutz and Frawley only issued one base on balls in the afternoon win, Purdue pitchers walked nine KU batters in the nightcap. Including two additional hit batters, four of KU's runs were scored by batters that reached base via a free pass. Two runs scored on bases-loaded walks as well.
Nick Dalesandro finished the day with three singles to extend his hitting streak to 11 consecutive games. Just a freshman, he already has the longest career hitting streak of any active Purdue player. He started on the mound against Kansas but was unable to make it through the third inning. Jack Picchoitti had a double in both games. Jacson McGowan's eight-game reached base safely streaked ended in the nightcap.
The Boilermakers return to action Friday when they open a three-game series against Ohio at Kokomo Municipal Stadium in Kokomo, Indiana. Purdue is scheduled to close out the month of March with nine consecutive games played in the state of Indiana.
Mike @mwLutz23 & Matt @frawl_dog55 Frawley discuss #Purdue's 5-0 shutout win vs North Dakota today. #BoilerUp https://t.co/CBOTmbkQrr
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) March 12, 2016
Game One Recap: Purdue 5, North Dakota 0 The Boilermakers took advantage of three UND (2-6) throwing errors, scoring three unearned runs. With runners on first and second and one out in a scoreless game, McGowan hit a comebacker back to the mound that could have been an inning-ending 1-6-3 double play. Instead, Brett DeGagné threw the ball off the glove of the shortstop and into center field. Picchiotti scored on the play. Moments later, a poor throw by the UND first baseman skipped past the shortstop as the Fighting Hawks tried to turn a 3-6 double play on a grounder to first. Johnson scored during that sequence.
Cody Strong drew a leadoff walk to begin the bottom of the sixth and scored on a safety squeeze bunt by pinch hitter James Jewell.
Lutz and Frawley both erased a one-out single by UND cleanup hitter Daniel Lockhert thanks to inning-ending 1-6-3 double plays. Lutz did it in the third inning and Frawley duplicated the feat in the eighth. But it was Wood that made the key defensive play of the day when he robbed Miles Lewis of a bases-loaded single through the right side, the diving stop bringing the top of the second to a close and keeping the game scoreless.
Game Two Recap: Kansas 8, Purdue 1
The Boilermakers were able to avoid the big inning but Kansas (6-7) took control of the game by scoring in five of the first six innings. Purdue was able to turn double plays in the first and third innings, but both twin killings came after the Jayhawks had already scored a run in the frame.
Wood's home run to open the fourth inning made it a 3-1 game. The Boilermakers recorded two more hits in the frame, but a double play was sandwiched in between. Four consecutive KU batters reached base safely in the bottom of the inning, helping Kansas answer right back with two runs. When Purdue hit into an inning-ending double play with two men aboard in the top of the fifth, its final scoring opportunity of the game went by the board.
Picchiotti's two-out double led to the Boilermakers loading the bases in the top of the second. But Blake Weiman (1-0) retired Cody Strong to end the threat and it proved to be the most significant out the lefty recorded in his quality start (6 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 K). Weiman retired five Purdue hitters on comebackers.
Robb Woodcock worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning vs. KU's 2-3-4 hitters. Brian Ghiselli also put up a zero in the bottom of the eighth.