WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Northwestern scored four times in the first inning and rode the extended rally to a 7-2 series-opening victory Friday at Alexander Field, ending Purdue baseball's seven-game win streak.
The Boilermakers' suffered their first loss during their current nine-game homestand, snapping their longest home win streak since 2010.
The first six NU (18-26, 7-9 B1G) batters of the game put together a productive plate appearance. The rally began when a fly ball dropped between Skyler Hunter and Nick Dalesandro in right-center field. It was the first of five hits in the inning. Purdue (25-19, 9-7 B1G) had not surrendered a first-inning run since an April 16 loss at Rutgers. The Boilermakers' streak of 57 consecutive innings without trailing, which dated back to the seventh inning of the April 19 win at Indiana State, came to an end early Friday.
Purdue lost on a Friday for only the third time in 12 in games this season. It was the Boilermakers' first series-opening loss since March 31 at Ohio State. Starter Tanner Andrews (7-3) made it through the sixth inning, surrendering only one run after top of the first. Five of the eight hits he allowed came in the first inning.
Meanwhile, Purdue was unable to fully cash in on the five walks issued by NU starter Cooper Wetherbee over the first four innings. The lefty struck out four his first time through the lineup and limited the Boilermakers to just three hits over six innings.
Purdue brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the fourth inning, but went quietly the remainder of the game. Wetherbee (2-2) and Pete Hofman teamed up to retire 13 of 14 batters from the fifth through ninth innings. Bryce Bonner's two-out single in the bottom of the sixth accounted for the Boilermakers' only base runner during that stretch.
Highlights from tonight's 7-2 loss to Northwestern. It was #Purdue's 1st series-opening loss since March 31 at OSU. https://t.co/LAfBLqy2BL
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 6, 2017
Milo Beam and Bonner both reached base safely three times. Beam singled twice and scored Purdue's first run after drawing a leadoff walk in the third inning. Bonner walked to go along with his sixth-inning single. With nine walks during the homestand, Bonner has taken over the team lead with a .444 on-base percentage.
Evan Warden and Hunter drove in the Boilermakers' runs via an infield single and sacrifice fly in the third inning.
Joe Hoscheit, Jack Claeys and Jake Scheiber delivered the run-scoring hits for Northwestern in the top of the first. Hoscheit's double to right field also allowed NU to score a run on Matt Hopfner's RBI ground out to third base.
The Wildcats later tacked on a pair of insurance runs via squeeze bunts.
Hopfner was in motion on the play but Harry Shipley and Warden still managed to turn an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play in the top of the fifth. Tanner Schumacher retired six of the seven batters he faced over two hitless innings of relief and has now set down 18 of 20 batters over his last three appearances dating back to April 19.
Hunter's 15-game reached base safely streak in Big Ten play came to an end. Dalesandro walked twice to extend his reached base safely streak to nine straight games, but saw his 10-game hitting streak at Alexander Field come to an end.
The series continues Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.
Feels like it has rained every day for at least a week in Greater Lafayette. But thanks to @PUSportsTurf, Alexander looks as great as ever 🌞 pic.twitter.com/2XJSSveKuA
- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 5, 2017