Temporary Box Score / / Gameday Central
May 19 Update: Big Ten Network will televise game 3 of the series live Saturday. The start time will be determined by the outcome of the suspended game. A recap of the the final innings of game 2 will be included at the beginning of the BTN telecast. Live coverage of the conclusion of the suspended game will be via WSHY radio (104.3 FM & 1410 AM) & GameTracker live stats.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue baseball scored four times in the seventh inning despite recording just one hit in the frame, holding a 6-3 lead on No. 17 Michigan when the game was suspended due to heavy rain in the bottom of the eighth.
Saturday's action at Alexander Field will begin at 1 p.m. ET as originally planned for the series finale. Game 2 of the series will resume at 1 p.m. Purdue's Senior Day ceremony will be held between games. Game 3 of the series will begin one hour after the conclusion of game 2. The television and webcast coverage of Saturday's reshuffled action is still pending as of late Friday.
The tarp went on the field after Nick Dalesandro stole second base with Jacson McGowan batting and two outs in the bottom of the eighth. If the Boilermakers can make their three-run lead hold up in the ninth, they would clinch a series victory and the No. 2 seed in next week's Big Ten Tournament.
Purdue sent 10 men to the plate in its four-run seventh inning that turned a 3-2 deficit into the three-run lead. Skyler Hunter's game-tying RBI double down the left field line was the Boilermakers' only hit of the rally. But Michigan issued six free passes (4 walks, 2 HBP) in the frame, including two with the bases loaded.
Dalesandro scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball as the Wolverines were intentionally walking McGowan to load the bases. McGowan actually fouled off the second pitch of the at-bat during the intentional walk. A leadoff walk to Owen Jansen ignited the rally. Evan Kennedy was hit by a pitch with an 0-2 count and the bases loaded. Evan Warden later drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs to force home McGowan.
Highlights from Friday's back-and-forth game with Michigan. #Purdue led 6-3 in the 8th when game was suspended due to heavy rain. It will resume Saturday at 1pm ET. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/mu32bGvZHE
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 19, 2018
Purdue relievers Bo Hofstra and Trevor Cheaney teamed up to retire 11 of 12 batters from the fifth through eighth innings. Hofstra worked a 1-2-3 top of the sixth and Cheaney struck out the first two batters of the eighth inning looking after the Boilermakers had taken the lead. Hofstra fanned a season-high five over 3 2/3 innings of one-run relief.
Purdue was able to manufacture Ben Nisle's leadoff double in the sixth inning into a run, cutting Michigan's lead to 3-2. The Boilermakers were unable to do the same with Alec Olund's leadoff double in the fourth inning, but Olund drove in Nisle with a ground ball to first base two frames later.
Purdue also scored its first run of the game on a passed ball after consecutive 1-out singles by Harry Shipley and Dalesandro. Shipley has a chance to become the first Boilermaker since 2009 to reach base safely in every home game if he can find his way aboard Saturday. Dalesandro, Hunter, Nisle and Olund also extended their lengthy notable streaks Friday.
During the final weekend of the regular season last year, Purdue also had a game suspended that it went on to win the following day. That was game 1 of a series at Minnesota. The two teams played 20 innings the following day in Minneapolis, the final 2 ½ innings of the suspended game plus a doubleheader. The Boilermakers won the series to clinch a Big Ten Tournament berth. They also denied the Gophers a chance to win the Big Ten title. After Minnesota clinched the 2018 conference title Friday, the results of that memorable weekend in the Twin Cities kept the Gophers from winning three straight Big Ten titles.