ST. LOUIS ââ'¬" A big inning early in game one and a late surge in the nightcap propelled Saint Louis to a doubleheader sweep of Purdue baseball Saturday. The Billikens won game one 15-1 and rallied to win the nightcap 11-9.
Saint Louis (10-8) has won nine straight games and has a chance to sweep its 10-game homestand with a win Sunday. The Boilermakers (9-8) have lost five in a row and seven of their last eight.
Purdue held leads of 2-0, 5-2 and 6-3 in the nightcap, but SLU scored eight unanswered runs from the sixth through eighth innings. Nick Dalesandro's three-run double with two outs in the ninth inning allowed the Boilermakers to bring the tying run to the plate, but Saint Louis closed out the win moments later.
Entering the day, the Billikens had not more than nine runs in game this season. They hit four home runs Saturday, including three off Purdue starter Tanner Andrews over the first two innings of game one. Aaron Case homered to open the bottom of the first and went on to reach base safely six times.
A dropped fly ball in right field led to an eight-run rally in the second inning of game one. Two runs scored on the error and Carter Hanford later connected for a three-run homer in his second plate appearance of the frame. Six of the eight runs were unearned. Saint Louis also sent nine men to the plate in a five-run sixth inning.
The Boilermakers scored all nine of their runs in game two with two outs. Dalesandro gave Purdue its first lead since the end of its March 10 win at Tulane with a two-run double in the first inning. The junior posted his second career five-RBI game.
Harry Shipley finished the nightcap with a season-high three hits, scoring on Evan Warden's two-out, two-run double that gave Purdue a 5-2 lead in the fourth inning. Warden also made a couple nice diving plays at third base over the course of the day to take away run-scoring hits.
Ryan Hernandez hit a game-tying, two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. Saint Louis would take the lead for good an inning later on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt with two men on and no outs.
Hernandez was also involved in the most unique run-scoring play of the day. In the top of the sixth, Bryce Bonner took third base on a wild pitch. Hernandez picked up the live ball with his catcher's mask. Purdue head coach Mark Wasikowski alerted the umpires to the violation, contending that Bonner should be granted an extra base for Hernandez handling the ball without his glove or throwing hand. After a discussion, Bonner was allowed to score. Unfortunately, the Boilermakers did not score again until Dalesandro doubled with the bases-loaded in the ninth inning.
Sunday's series finale has been moved up to a 2 p.m. ET first pitch.