Box Scores: Game 1 / Game 2 /// Series Stats / March Stats
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Purdue pitching posted 15 consecutive scoreless innings in a doubleheader sweep at Penn State on Saturday, completing a three-game series sweep for the Boilermakers. Purdue won game one 6-3 and the nightcap 9-0.
The Boilermakers (14-10, 3-0 B1G) have rebounded from a seven-game losing skid with a five-game winning streak. They swept the Nittany Lions (7-15, 1-5 B1G) in Central Pennsylvania for the second time in six seasons after not being able to post a sweep in their first seven trips to PSU's campus for Big Ten play from 1995 to 2011.
Highlights from Purdue's 6-3 series-clinching win at Penn State. Powers delivered a big 2-run single, McGowan hit his 8th homer & Stroh put together a quality start. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/G0fKZEfSgy
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) March 31, 2018
SATURDAY NOTABLES
- Purdue is 3-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 2000. However, the Boilermakers had not swept their conference-opening weekend since 1985.
- Purdue swept a Big Ten doubleheader for the first time since April 2012 vs. Illinois.
- The Boilermakers have swept three of their five doubleheaders this season, a feat last accomplished in 2012 as well.
- Purdue outscored Penn State 18-5 in the series. The Boilermakers have surrendered just eight runs during their five-game win streak.
- Trent Johnson (1-1) worked five innings of one-hit ball as Purdue's game two starter, earning his first collegiate win while striking out a season-high six. He became the first freshman to start on the mound during the Boilermakers' conference-opening weekend since Mike Kornacker in March 2015. Johnson has surrendered only four hits over 13 innings as a starting pitcher and just nine hits in 17 2/3 innings overall this year.
- Game one starter Gareth Stroh (4-0) walked four batters in the first inning, but did not issue a free pass the rest of the game. He worked six innings of three-run ball to give Purdue a quality start. The Boilermakers have won six of his seven starts this season.
- The Purdue bullpen worked seven innings of scoreless three-hit relief Saturday. Dating back to the eighth inning of the March 18 loss at Saint Louis, the relief corps has surrendered just one unearned run over 21 innings.
- The Boilermakers retired 18 consecutive Penn State hitters from the sixth inning of game one through the third inning of game two. Dalton Parker and Johnson each worked a pair of 1-2-3 innings during that stretch. Twenty-eight consecutive PSU batters came to the plate without recording a hit from the sixth inning of game one through the fifth inning of game two.
- It took a wind-aided bloop double to break up Johnson's no-hit bid in the fifth inning of the nightcap. Johnson and Cameron Williams teamed up to retire the next nine consecutive batters.
- Milo Beam scored from second base on a one-out grounder to first base in the seventh inning of game two.
Coach @Waz4412 discusses #Purdue's series sweep at Penn State to open Big Ten play. The #Boilermakers have bounced back from a 7-game skid with a 5-game win streak. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/IWggxk2jsM
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 1, 2018
Freshmen Tyler Powers (2-for-4, 3 walks, 3 RBI, 3 runs) and Charlie Nasuti (3-for-6, 2 BB, RBI, 3 R) both reached base safely five times on the day. Powers hit safely and scored a run in all three games of the series while batting exclusively in the nine hole of the lineup. The freshman reached base safely seven times in 11 plate appearances, but a sac bunt in the middle game did not count against his on-base percentage. (.700) He also drove in Purdue's first run of both games Saturday.
Jacson McGowan connected for a two-run homer in game one, going deep to center field. With eight home runs, he has already matched his team-leading total from a year ago. He finished the week with nine RBI and has 31 for the season in just 24 games.
Powers helped generate three two-out runs for the Boilermakers in the second inning of game one, allowing them to quickly erase PSU's 2-0 lead. Moments after Evan Warden and Nasuti executed a double steal, Powers singled up the middle to plate both runs. He took second base on the throw home and moved into third when the throw went to the backstop. That was a key extra base because a passed ball allowed Powers to score.
Powers and Harry Shipley executed a walk-off play perfectly with runners on the corners and two outs in the top of the fourth. With a lefty on the mound, Powers was able to score before Shipley even went into the rundown between first and second.
Game two was scoreless until Purdue scored four times in the fifth inning, sending eight men to the plate. Powers drew a bases-loaded walk, Warden scored on a wild pitch and Shipley singled home a pair. The Boilermakers went on to score in four of the final five innings. Alec Olund, Bryce Bonner and Nasuti all record an RBI single during that stretch.
The Boilermakers are scheduled to play their next 11 games in the state of Indiana. That stretch begins with a two-game midweek series against Oakland. First pitch Tuesday at Alexander Field is set for 6 p.m. ET.
Highlights from today's 9-0 win at Penn State in the nightcap of the doubleheader. #Purdue outscored PSU 18-5 in the sweep. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/eH93ljMCGH
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) March 31, 2018