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OMAHA, Neb. - No. 27 Purdue baseball scored 10 times over the final five frames while the bullpen conceded just two hits over 6 1/3 innings, propelling the Boilermakers into the Big Ten Tournament championship game with an 11-5 victory Saturday vs. Illinois.
Purdue (37-18) has won seven straight and 21 of 23 dating back to April 20. The Boilermakers will take on top-seeded Minnesota (40-13) in Sunday's 2 p.m. ET championship game. They're in the championship game for the for the fourth time in program history and first time since winning the event in 2012.
Purdue and Minnesota have not squared off in the Big Ten Tournament since 2011.
The Boilermakers scored four times in the fifth and seventh innings, overcoming a 4-1 deficit entering the top of the fifth. Skyler Hunter and Jacson McGowan both drove in a run in each of their final three plate appearances. Harry Shipley reached base safely four times and scored three runs. Nick Dalesandro also scored three times.
Bo Hofstra (5-3) and Dalton Parker teamed up to retire 14 of the final 16 Illinois batters of the game. Alec Olund and Hunter both made excellent diving catches in the outfield during that stretch, helping limit the Fighting Illini (33-20) to just four hits on the day. Hofstra retired the final seven batters he faced.
Full highlights from Saturday's 11-5 comeback win vs. Illinois that moved #Purdue into the Big Ten Tournament title game. Thankful for the BTN's great coverage this week. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/70C3YfzqOz
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 26, 2018
The temperature on the field was over 100 degrees and the heat may have contributed to the sloppy play of both teams. There were a combined five errors, five wild pitches and 16 free passes (12 walks, 4 hit batters) in the game. Purdue pitchers issued nine free passes to the first 21 Illini batters, but only one of the final 17 batters. Including a solo home run by Michael Michalak and four strikeouts, only six of the first 19 Illinois batters put the ball in play. The Boilermakers issued a leadoff walk in four of the first five innings and still found a way to win.
Purdue pulled away with four runs in the top of the seventh. Hunter's double down the left field line broke a 5-5 tie after singles by Shipley and Dalesandro set the stage. McGowan followed with a sacrifice fly and wild pitches helped the Boilermakers score two more runs.
Purdue took the lead with four runs in the fifth inning despite recording just one hit, a bunt single by Tyler Powers that Illinois appeared to misplay. A pair of hit batters and a pair of costly errors led to the big inning. The key play was a potential 6-4-3 double play ball that rolled through the legs of the shortstop. That came with the bases loaded and no outs. The Boilermakers scored twice on the gaffe and caught another break moments later on a dropped throw at first base. Hunter was safe on the RBI ground out after the throw from the shortstop broke through the glove of the first baseman. Again McGowan followed with a sacrifice fly.
Purdue turned a 5-4-3 double play in the third inning in front of Michalak's home run, erasing a leadoff walk. Before reliever Trent Johnson even threw a pitch, McGowan bailed out the freshman by cutting down a runner at third base with an impressive throw on a line from foul territory in right field.
Check out the BTN postgame interviews with @NickDeli12 & Coach @Waz4412 in Omaha Saturday after #Purdue defeated Illinois 11-5. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/hQqnW0EJ9i
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 26, 2018
Facing elimination from the tournament, Illinois had to go to its closer Joey Gerber after the Boilermakers went up 7-5 in the seventh inning. Gerber only retired one of the six batters he faced, walking the final three. The consecutive walks to open the top of the eighth led to two more insurance runs.
Hunter's RBI double extended his reached base safely streak to 23 consecutive games, matching Shipley for the longest career run by any active Boilermaker. Ben Nisle's 16-game reached safely streak came to end, but Olund extended his streak to 14 games.
Meanwhile, Purdue helped end Ben Troike's 57-game reached base safely streak, which dated back to the end of 2017. It was the longest active streak in the nation entering the day.
The winner of Sunday's Big Ten Tournament championship game receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, but the Gophers and Boilermakers are both in line for at-large bids regardless. Purdue is planning a watch party at a West Lafayette restaurant for Monday at 11:30 a.m. ET, which will be open to the public. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced live on ESPNU beginning at noon.
Nick Dalesandro, Skyler Hunter & Jacson McGowan discussed a wide variety of topics at Saturday's postgame presser, including the program's turnaround, Sunday's matchup with Minnesota & the run production from the heart of the lineup. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/2yEuqbd35H
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 27, 2018
Coach Waz continued to highlight how important the assistant coaches have been to #Purdue's big improvements this year. He also acknowledged how its a joy to see the players' hard work & an aggressive style pay off. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/rjjNh7dewA
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 27, 2018