Box Score: PDF / HTML /// Tournament Stats
OMAHA, Neb. - No. 27 Purdue baseball pounded out 13 hits and held the lead three times, but No. 11 Minnesota scored the final three runs of the day to defeat the Boilermakers 6-4 in the Big Ten Tournament championship game.
Purdue (37-19) lost for only the third time in its last 24 games dating back to April 20. The Gophers (41-13) were one of only three Big Ten teams to defeat the Boilermakers this spring.
Minnesota was selected as one of the 16 NCAA Regional hosts Sunday evening. Purdue finished the week of the conference tournaments with an RPI of 31 and is also likely to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in program history. The 64-team field will be unveiled at noon ET on Monday live on ESPNU.
The Boilermakers led the way with a program-record six Big Ten All-Tournament Team selections. Tanner Andrews (CG Win on Wednesday), Nick Dalesandro (3-for-14, 4 BB, 4 R, 4 SB), Jacson McGowan (6-for-13, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 2 BB), Harry Shipley (5-for-15, 2B, 6 RBI, 2 BB) and Evan Warden (5-for-13, 2B, 2 RBI, 4 R, 2 SB) were all recognized for their performances at TD Ameritrade Park.
#Purdue highlights from Sunday's 6-4 loss to No. 11 Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Both teams will be playing in NCAA Regionals next week. #BoilerUp
Many thanks to the BTN & all of its staff for the great coverage of this year's tournament in Omaha. pic.twitter.com/9gwpke2JX9-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 27, 2018
Purdue held leads of 1-0, 3-2, and 4-3. But the Gophers scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to go in front for good. Minnesota connected for a pair of solo home runs to carry a 2-1 edge into the fifth inning.
As the tying run, Charlie Nasuti was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Ben Mezzenga on a two-out single from Warden to end the top of the eighth.
Hunter posted his second three-hit game of the tournament, singling in his first three at-bats to extend his reached base safely streak to 24 consecutive games. He scored from first base on doubles by McGowan in the first and fifth innings.
But Purdue had four runners erased on the base paths. Including Nasuti, three of those outs on the base paths ended an inning. Meanwhile, the Gophers' Toby Hanson was safe at the plate on a close play in the bottom of the fifth, scoring from second base on a single to center field.
More postgame comments from Sunday in Omaha as Coach Waz breaks down the back & forth nature of the 6-4 loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. #Purdue is eager to play again next week in an NCAA Regional. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/B1CATyE6hZ
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 28, 2018
The Boilermakers posted a double-figure hit total in three of their four games at the tournament. The 13 against Ohio State and Minnesota were their most in a Big Ten Tournament game since 2010. The six through nine spots in the Purdue lineup were a combined 7-for-15 with a walk and two runs scored. Tyler Powers and Warden joined Hunter and McGowan with multiple hits. Evan Kennedy's double off the wall in the eighth inning gave the Boilermakers a chance at tying the game. Nasuti became his pinch runner.
Shipley delivered a two-out, game-tying single in the top of the sixth inning. The Boilermakers recorded six hits over an inning and two thirds vs. the Gophers' most versatile reliever Brett Schulze.
Andrews pitched the fifth inning in what was his first relief appearance since the 2016 season finale. Head coach Mark Wasikowski said after the game the senior wanted to pitch on what would have been his day to throw three simulated innings. He pitched a complete game in Wednesday's win vs. OSU. Andrews struck out Cole McDevitt with the bases loaded to end the frame. It was Purdue's first strikeout of the day, but the Gophers had already tied the game on Mezzenga's single.
Consecutive two-out base hits up the middle by Luke Pettersen and Mezzenga in the sixth inning proved to be the difference in the game. Pettersen stole second to move into scoring position.
The public is invited to Monday's 11:30 a.m. NCAA Tournament selection show watch party at the Stacked Pickle restaurant and pub on campus. The other 15 NCAA Regional sites include Oregon State, Stanford, Texas Tech, Texas, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Florida, Florida State, Stetson, Georgia, Clemson, North Carolina, North Carolina State, East Carolina and Coastal Carolina. The Boilermakers will be a No. 2 or 3 seed at one of those Regionals.
Here's part 1 of Sunday's postgame press conference at the Big Ten Tournament as Jacson McGowan & Skyler Hunter discuss the 6-4 loss to Minnesota in the title game. pic.twitter.com/OuQRfkcReP
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 27, 2018