Wood's game-tying double, Dalesandro's pair of RBI singles & Frawley's strikeouts headline the highlights from today https://t.co/AiFv8UiEg5
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 7, 2016
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern broke open a tie game with three unearned runs in the eighth inning, defeating Purdue baseball 7-4 in the middle game of the series Saturday afternoon.
The Boilermakers (7-36, 2-18 B1G) held leads of 2-0 and 3-2 but needed consecutive doubles from Kyle Johnson and Kyle Wood to tie the game up at 4-4 in the top of the seventh.
Purdue failed to complete three opportunities to turn double play over the course of the game and the Wildcats (12-34, 4-16 B1G) went on to score multiple runs in both innings. But it was the three errors in the eighth inning that allowed NU to score the game-deciding runs. A leadoff double turned into the go-ahead run when shortstop Duncan McKinnon threw the ball away while trying to complete a 6-3 ground out to end the frame.
Nick Dalesandro delivered a pair of RBI singles, driving in runs in the third and fifth innings. Brett Carlson doubled twice as part of a three-hit effort. His inning-opening hits in the third and fifth led to runs.
Northwestern won the game despite using six different pitchers. Starter Jake Schindler struck out six over 4 1/3 innings, but was lifted in the fifth inning with his pitch count in the 90s. The NU bullpen teamed up for 4 2/3 innings of one-run relief and did not give up a hit after Wood's game-tying double with two outs in the seventh inning.
Purdue starter Matt Frawley had just one bad inning, but the Wildcats scored twice in the bottom of the third to tie it up at 2-2. He faced seven batters in the third inning and only 12 in the other four frames he completed. Tanner Andrews (1-5) retired six of the first seven batters he faced, but the lone hit he allowed during that stretch was a big one. Jack Claeys delivered a two-out, two-run single in the sixth inning to give NU a 4-3 lead.
Moments earlier, Andrews had induced a comebacker off the bat of Connor Lind, but the pitcher dropped the ball and had to settle for the out at first base as both runners advanced instead of a potential inning-ending 1-6-3 double play.
In Northwestern's two-run third inning, Frawley threw a bit low to second base on a 1-6-3 double play opportunity. The second run of the frame scored when McKinnon threw high of first while trying to complete an inning-ending 6-3 twin killing.
Sophomore shortstop Harry Shipley did not play Saturday for the first time since joining the team last season. His team-long streak of 96 consecutive games started came to an end.
By taking the first two games of the weekend, the Wildcats clinched a series victory for the home team for the first time since 2008 in the Purdue-Northwestern series.
Sunday's series finale is set for 2 p.m. ET.