WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Evan Warden and Logan Poisall both connected for a two-run homer to back up a quality start by Gareth Stroh on the mound, leading Purdue baseball to a 7-3 series-clinching win vs. Indiana in front of a record crowd at Alexander Field on Saturday.
The game was played in front of standing-room only crowd of 2,312 fans on a lovely evening. That eclipsed the attendance record at the fifth-year ballpark by more than 750 fans.
The Boilermakers (17-13, 5-3 B1G) clinched their fifth straight series victory vs. IU (15-13-2, 3-4-1 B1G) in West Lafayette dating back to 2004. Purdue has won six consecutive home games against the Hoosiers and the last eight meetings in the series played away from Bloomington.
Ross Learnard induced pop ups vs. Indiana's No. 2, 4 and 5 hitters to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning. It was his 21st consecutive scoreless inning. The lefty has now stranded 10 of 11 inherited base runners he's had to contend with this season. After Cameron Williams retired six of the seven batters he faced to close out the win and earn his third save, the Purdue bullpen has worked six innings of two-hit relief in the series.
Homers by Warden & Poisall as well as Shipley's impressive diving stop on big 6-4-3 DP headline the full highlights. https://t.co/N8X0KKD2ah
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 9, 2017
Stroh (3-2) surrendered runs in just one inning while winning his start for the second weekend in a row. The southpaw has allowed only five runs over 19 1/3 innings over his first three Big Ten starts. Indiana did not have multiple base runners in an inning until the top of the fifth.
The Boilermakers scored each of their six runs with two outs. Warden and Poisall both homered to left field with a man on and two down. Bryce Bonner also delivered a two-run double down the left field line moments before Poisall went deep.
Shortstop Harry Shipley made the key defensive play of the game, starting a 6-4-3 double play after making a diving stop near the second base bag. The play came with two men on and no outs in the fifth inning. An RBI single and two-run homer by IU's Luke Miller followed. Shipley's gem likely prevented the Hoosiers from putting together a real big inning that could have drastically changed the back half of the game.
Indiana starter Brian Hobbie (2-3) went the distance, throwing only 94 pitches over eight innings. He worked three 1-2-3 innings. But Purdue took advantage of its leadoff man reaching base safely to begin the third and fourth innings. Bonner scored on the two-run homers in both frames. The Boilermakers hit multiple home runs in a game for the first time since March 5 at Southeast Missouri State.
.@LjPoisall7, @Evan_Warden & @Waz4412 discuss tonight's 7-3 win vs. IU. #Purdue has 4 straight in Big Ten play. https://t.co/rzgwen2lhl
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 9, 2017
Nick Dalesandro and Skyler Hunter each had a pair of singles, recording back-to-back hits in the fourth and eighth innings. They scored on Bonner's double in the bottom of the fourth. Dalesandro went first to third on Hunter's hit-and-run single in the eighth, leading to Jacson McGowan's sacrifice fly that capped the night's scoring.
Hunter extended his reached base safely streak to 20 consecutive games. Warden's reached safely streak is now at 11 straight games.
The Boilermakers have won four straight Big Ten games for the first time since the end of the 2015 season. Having clinched just its second Big Ten series win at home since Alexander Field opened, Purdue now has an opportunity to sweep a three-game set at home for the first time since May 2013 vs. Southern Illinois.
First pitch Sunday is slated the 1 p.m. ET. MTC Sports will be offering a free multi-camera webcast of the game at ISCsportsnetwork.com and ISC Sports Network app.
Coach @Waz4412 salutes #Purdue's players & the fans for their roles in record-breaking crowd at Alexander tonight. https://t.co/KQNkVdioxC
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 9, 2017