Box Scores: Game 1 / Game 2
MARION, N.C. – Purdue baseball scored in each of the final four frames to overcome a four-run deficit in the nightcap of a doubleheader split with NJIT, winning on a walk-off in the ninth inning.
A bases-loaded walk to Cole McKenzie forced home the game-winning run and made the Boilermakers (2-10) victorious 9-8. The Highlanders (6-3-1) scored six times in the 10th inning of game 1 to take the series opener 9-3, posting their third 10-inning win of the young season.
Purdue rallied back from a 3-0 deficit in game 1 and came back after trailing 2-0, 3-2 and 7-3 in the nightcap. The Boilermakers scored twice in eighth inning of game 2 to take an 8-7 lead, their first lead since closing out a 4-0 win at Texas on Feb. 23. A streak of 52 consecutive innings without leading came to an end in the process.
Meanwhile, the Boilermakers scored in four straight innings for the first time this season. Entering the sixth inning of game 2, they had only scored in seven of their last 60 innings dating back to that Feb. 23 win.
Austin Peterson (9 in 5 1/3 innings) and Patrick J. Smith (7 in 3 2/3 innings) teamed up for 16 strikeouts in the game 2 win, both posting career-high totals as Boilermakers. The 16 Ks matched the second most in program history, a total Purdue also reached in a March 2010 win at Ohio. Purdue pitchers recorded 28 total strikeouts over the two games.
Peterson posted the most strikeouts by a reliever since Eddie De LaRiva also fanned nine over 4 1/3 innings vs. Nebraska in March 2016. Peterson struck out the side in order on 11 pitches in the seventh inning. He fanned nine of the 22 batters he faced.
Zac Fascia connected for game-tying home run to lead off the sixth inning of game 2, his first long ball as a Boilermaker. He later drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the game-tying run in the bottom of the eighth.
McKenzie reached base safely in five consecutive place appearances in game 2, finishing the nightcap 3-for-4 with two walks and three runs scored.
Johnny Sage had three productive plate appearances in both games, finishing the day 3-for-7 with a bases-loaded walk, sacrifice bunt and sac fly. He extended his hitting streak to seven consecutive games. Sage's sac fly in the bottom of the eighth drove in the go-ahead run, giving Purdue that elusive first lead in two weeks.
Ben Nisle delivered three RBI singles on the day, including a run-scoring hit in each of the Boilermakers' three-run innings.
Sunday's rubber game is set for noon ET.
GAME 2: PURDUE 9, NJIT 8
The Highlanders' Justin Etts connected for a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth to tie the game. But the Boilermakers quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame via consecutive four-pitch walks to Tyler Powers and Evan Albrecht, followed by a bunt single from Skyler Hunter. Another four-pitch walk to Cole McKenzie gave Purdue its seventh walk-off win since March 2017. Each of the last three have come in neutral-site games
Five NJIT relievers teamed up to issue 10 walks over an inning and two-thirds, allowing a pair of inherited runners to score in the bottom of the seventh as well.
Etts' two-run single was also the big hit of the top of the seventh as NJIT scored four times to build its 7-3 lead. But the Boilermakers answered with a big inning of their own, making it one-run game even while leaving the bases loaded.
Smith gave up another multi-run first inning. A leaping catch by McKenzie at first base helped prevent it from being even bigger than a two-run frame. Smith went on to strike out five of seven batters faced over the second and third innings, striking out the side in the top of the third while working around an infield hit.
Peterson (1-2) retired the first seven batters he faced. Outside of a rocky seventh inning in which the Boilermakers committed a pair of errors behind him, the only batter the freshman did not retire was Etts in the top of the ninth.
GAME 1: NJIT 9, PURDUE 3 (10 INNINGS)
Twin brothers Julio and David Marcano both hit a solo home run in the game for the Highlanders. Michael Anastasia's RBI single in the 10th inning plated the go-ahead run. Julio Marcano delivered a three-run double in the 10th to blow the game open.
Tyler Powers drove in the game-tying run in the eighth inning with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Purdue had an excellent opportunity to take the lead in the frame after having the bases load with one out. But Joe Georgini retired three straight batters after his bases-loaded walk to Owen Jansen made it a one-run game.
Georgini (1-0) retired nine of the 12 batters he faced as one of NJIT's few effective relievers on the day. Starter Tyler Stafflinger limited Purdue to just four singles over seven shutout innings, striking out four of the final seven batters he faced.
But Purdue ignited its game-tying rally against Hunter Harris, who did not retire any of the seven batters he faced over his two appearances Saturday. Skyler Hunter doubled off the fence in right center and scored on Nisle's first RBI single of the day. Purdue loaded the bases moments later.
The Boilermakers failed to turn ground balls to shortstop and back to the mound into outs in the 10th inning. The Highlanders capitalized on the two additional outs by posting the longest inning of the day, sending 10 men to the plate.
MARION, N.C. – Purdue baseball scored in each of the final four frames to overcome a four-run deficit in the nightcap of a doubleheader split with NJIT, winning on a walk-off in the ninth inning.
A bases-loaded walk to Cole McKenzie forced home the game-winning run and made the Boilermakers (2-10) victorious 9-8. The Highlanders (6-3-1) scored six times in the 10th inning of game 1 to take the series opener 9-3, posting their third 10-inning win of the young season.
Purdue rallied back from a 3-0 deficit in game 1 and came back after trailing 2-0, 3-2 and 7-3 in the nightcap. The Boilermakers scored twice in eighth inning of game 2 to take an 8-7 lead, their first lead since closing out a 4-0 win at Texas on Feb. 23. A streak of 52 consecutive innings without leading came to an end in the process.
Meanwhile, the Boilermakers scored in four straight innings for the first time this season. Entering the sixth inning of game 2, they had only scored in seven of their last 60 innings dating back to that Feb. 23 win.
Austin Peterson (9 in 5 1/3 innings) and Patrick J. Smith (7 in 3 2/3 innings) teamed up for 16 strikeouts in the game 2 win, both posting career-high totals as Boilermakers. The 16 Ks matched the second most in program history, a total Purdue also reached in a March 2010 win at Ohio. Purdue pitchers recorded 28 total strikeouts over the two games.
Peterson posted the most strikeouts by a reliever since Eddie De LaRiva also fanned nine over 4 1/3 innings vs. Nebraska in March 2016. Peterson struck out the side in order on 11 pitches in the seventh inning. He fanned nine of the 22 batters he faced.
Zac Fascia connected for game-tying home run to lead off the sixth inning of game 2, his first long ball as a Boilermaker. He later drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the game-tying run in the bottom of the eighth.
McKenzie reached base safely in five consecutive place appearances in game 2, finishing the nightcap 3-for-4 with two walks and three runs scored.
Johnny Sage had three productive plate appearances in both games, finishing the day 3-for-7 with a bases-loaded walk, sacrifice bunt and sac fly. He extended his hitting streak to seven consecutive games. Sage's sac fly in the bottom of the eighth drove in the go-ahead run, giving Purdue that elusive first lead in two weeks.
Ben Nisle delivered three RBI singles on the day, including a run-scoring hit in each of the Boilermakers' three-run innings.
Sunday's rubber game is set for noon ET.
GAME 2: PURDUE 9, NJIT 8
The Highlanders' Justin Etts connected for a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth to tie the game. But the Boilermakers quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame via consecutive four-pitch walks to Tyler Powers and Evan Albrecht, followed by a bunt single from Skyler Hunter. Another four-pitch walk to Cole McKenzie gave Purdue its seventh walk-off win since March 2017. Each of the last three have come in neutral-site games
Five NJIT relievers teamed up to issue 10 walks over an inning and two-thirds, allowing a pair of inherited runners to score in the bottom of the seventh as well.
Etts' two-run single was also the big hit of the top of the seventh as NJIT scored four times to build its 7-3 lead. But the Boilermakers answered with a big inning of their own, making it one-run game even while leaving the bases loaded.
Smith gave up another multi-run first inning. A leaping catch by McKenzie at first base helped prevent it from being even bigger than a two-run frame. Smith went on to strike out five of seven batters faced over the second and third innings, striking out the side in the top of the third while working around an infield hit.
Peterson (1-2) retired the first seven batters he faced. Outside of a rocky seventh inning in which the Boilermakers committed a pair of errors behind him, the only batter the freshman did not retire was Etts in the top of the ninth.
GAME 1: NJIT 9, PURDUE 3 (10 INNINGS)
Twin brothers Julio and David Marcano both hit a solo home run in the game for the Highlanders. Michael Anastasia's RBI single in the 10th inning plated the go-ahead run. Julio Marcano delivered a three-run double in the 10th to blow the game open.
Tyler Powers drove in the game-tying run in the eighth inning with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Purdue had an excellent opportunity to take the lead in the frame after having the bases load with one out. But Joe Georgini retired three straight batters after his bases-loaded walk to Owen Jansen made it a one-run game.
Georgini (1-0) retired nine of the 12 batters he faced as one of NJIT's few effective relievers on the day. Starter Tyler Stafflinger limited Purdue to just four singles over seven shutout innings, striking out four of the final seven batters he faced.
But Purdue ignited its game-tying rally against Hunter Harris, who did not retire any of the seven batters he faced over his two appearances Saturday. Skyler Hunter doubled off the fence in right center and scored on Nisle's first RBI single of the day. Purdue loaded the bases moments later.
The Boilermakers failed to turn ground balls to shortstop and back to the mound into outs in the 10th inning. The Highlanders capitalized on the two additional outs by posting the longest inning of the day, sending 10 men to the plate.