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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Both bullpens retired at least 12 consecutive batters to extend the game into extra innings, but it was No. 10 Indiana that won the rubber game of the series with Purdue baseball 7-5 on a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 13th.
The Hoosiers (22-6, 3-2 B1G) rallied for their seventh victorious weekend of the season after the Boilermakers (15-12, 4-2 B1G) took the opener Friday. Sunday was the first extra-innings game between the old rivals since Purdue won on a 12th-inning walk-off in 2011 and was the longest game in the series since at least 1998. It was also the Boilermakers' longest game since defeating Ohio in 15 innings in March 2016 and their longest in Big Ten play since an April 2014 win in 13 vs. Ohio State.
Logan Kaletha connected for the game-winning home run to left field with a man on second base and one out in the 13th inning. Purdue lost on a two-run walk-off homer for the second time this season.
Jacson McGowan drove in a run in each of his first three at-bats, pushing his team-leading RBI total to 36. Charlie Nasuti had three hits in the finale of a Big Ten series for the second weekend in a row.
Coach @Waz4412 called Sunday one of the best college games he's been a part of. "The scoreboard didn't reward us today; I thought our attitude & effort were outstanding." The Hoosiers won the rubber game in the 13th inning. pic.twitter.com/fWaHZcjmU6
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 9, 2018
The Boilermakers raced out to a 5-1 lead, but Indiana posted nine consecutive zeros to finish the game. Cal Krueger and Matt Lloyd (2-0) teamed up to retire 18 consecutive batters from the sixth through 11th innings. Lloyd worked five innings, the most of any pitcher, after entering the day having pitched just six innings over four appearances. He also batted six times.
Scotty Bradley's two-out solo homer in the seventh inning allowed IU to even the score at 5-5. But Purdue's bullpen also excelled Sunday. Ross Learnard, Dalton Parker and Cameron Williams (2-2) teamed up to retire 12 consecutive batters from the eighth through 12th innings. Learnard worked 4 1/3 innings of two-hit relief in the series, striking out five.
For the second day in a row, the Boilermakers failed to cash in on an opportunity in which they had the bases loaded with no outs. After the first four batters reached base safely in the top of the third, Purdue was up 2-1 with the sacks packed. But IU starter Cameron Beauchamp escaped the jam with a strikeout and 6-4-3 double play ball. It was the second of three twin killings the Boilermakers hit into Sunday.
Purdue also could not capitalize on Nick Evarts' leadoff double in the top of the 12th. Lloyd struck out the next two batters and shortstop Jeremy Houston, who entered the game in the ninth when Lloyd moved from second base to the mound, robbed McGowan of a go-ahead single. Harry Shipley also made a couple fine defensive plays at shortstop for the Boilermakers late in the game.
Skyler Hunter and Kaletha both made leaping catches at the wall in center field to take away inning-opening doubles. Hunter made his catch in the third inning and Kaletha's came in the top of the fifth.
Doubles by Nasuti and Evan Warden led to runs for Purdue in the first and fourth innings. The Boilermakers went on to score three times in the top of the fourth to take the 5-1 lead. But the Hoosiers got two runs back in the bottom of the frame as both starting pitchers were out of the game after 3 1/3 innings. The five hits Trent Johnson surrendered Sunday were one more than he had given up in 13 innings as a starting pitcher entering the day.
Highlights from today's 13-inning heartbreaker at Indiana. #Purdue 15-12, 4-2 Big Ten going into next week's 4 games at home. pic.twitter.com/wzh9kjRBsD
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 8, 2018
Purdue thought it had a runner at second base with two outs in the 11th inning, but Alec Olund was called out by the home plate umpire for being on the left side of the baseline as he sprinted to first base. Olund hit a swinging bunt to the left of the mound and Lloyd's throw hit Olund in the back just before a collision in front of the bag with Bradley as the first baseman reached for the throw.
The Boilermakers were the only Big Ten team scheduled to play their first two conference weekends on the road. They were able to win four of those six Big Ten games.
Now they're slated to play four of their next six weekends and 18 of their final 26 regular-season games at home. That stretch begins Tuesday with a 6 p.m. ET first pitch vs. Ball State.