A few #Purdue highlights from today's 3-2 loss in Bloomington, highlighted by Johnson's game-tying 2-run double. https://t.co/skjDLZwS3R
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 9, 2016
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Purdue baseball had multiple base runners in just two of the nine innings, dropping another one-run game at Indiana 3-2 after the Hoosiers plated the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth.
The Boilermakers (4-23, 0-8 B1G) were limited to just two hits after pounding out 14 Friday. Purdue tied the game at 2-2 on Kyle Johnson's two-run double in the top of the sixth, but stranded the bases loaded later in that inning.
The Boilermakers fell to 1-7 in one-run games this season, five of those losses coming during the team's current 12-game skid.
Indiana (16-13, 3-2 B1G) scored all three of its runs after the leadoff man reached base safely to begin an inning. A sacrifice bunt was successfully utilized in all three frames. Luke Miller knocked in the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth. The other two runs scored on sacrifice flies.
Shane Bryant gave Purdue a chance to win, coming up just one out shy of recording a quality start while working 5 2/3 innings of five-hit ball. He actually recorded one more out than IU starter Caleb Baragar, who entered the weekend ranked second in the Big Ten in ERA. Baragar struck out six his first time through the Boilermakers' lineup and didn't give up a hit until Nick Dalesandro singled to open the fifth inning.
The Hoosiers had the bases loaded with no outs in the fifth inning but Bryant minimized the damage to a single run. He induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play with runners on the corners. Tanner Andrews got out of a bases-loaded jam an inning later to keep it a one-run game.
B.J. Sabol entered the game for IU with runners on the corners and one out in the sixth, promptly plunking Nick Dalesandro to load the bases. But Sabol (1-2) got Brett Carlson to line out to short left field and struck out James Jewell to end the threat and keep the game tied. Thomas Belcher retired all seven batters he faced for to close out the win for the Hoosiers.
Johnson made a nice leaping catch on the warning track in center field to away an extra-base hit with runners on the corners in the second inning. It went for a sacrifice fly and allowed the game's first run to score. Harry Shipley made a diving catch at shortstop for the final out of the fourth inning.
Cody Strong scored from first base on Johnson's double to left center after reaching on an error, but his team-best 15-game reached base safely streak was snapped after he did not record a hit, walk or hit by pitch. Dalesandro and Shipley were the only Boilermakers to reach base safely twice in the game.
Sunday's series finale is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch and will be televised live by the Big Ten Network. Matt Frawley will start on the mound for Purdue.