Box Score: PDF / XML /// Series Stats
EVANSTON, Ill. – With a leadoff man aboard eight times and multiple base runners in every frame, Purdue baseball scored in six different innings to win a back-and-forth rubber game at Northwestern 9-7 Sunday.
The Boilermakers (7-16, 2-1 B1G) overcame deficits of 3-1 and 7-6, winning despite stranding 15 runners on base. The Wildcats (6-13, 1-2 B1G) scored all seven of their runs on two-out homers, a three-run shot in the first inning and grand slam in the bottom of the sixth.
Five different Purdue players reached base safely at least three times, including Cole McKenzie and Zac Fascia earning their way on base five times apiece. They batted 3-4 in the lineup again Sunday. Northwestern recorded only two outs against them in a combined 12 plate appearances. Overall, the Boilermakers drew 15 free passes (10 walks, 5 hit by pitch).
Fascia's double was the big hit of the two-run eighth inning that gave Purdue the lead back. McKenzie scored the tying run on an error by the NU shortstop. Nick Evarts was credited with his fourth RBI on the play. Ryan Howe came through with a sacrifice fly to center field moments later to plate Fascia as the go-ahead run.
SUNDAY NOTABLES
• The Boilermakers posted their first series win in Evanston since 2012.
• Purdue has won its first series of Big Ten play in consecutive years for the first time since 1994 and 1995.
• With Sunday wins vs. NJIT and Northwestern this month, the Boilermakers' already have two rubber game victories this season. They had not won multiple rubber games in the same year since 2015 and same month since April 2011.
• Evan Albrecht (.667 OBP), Nick Evarts (.643) and Cole McKenzie (.533) all reached base safely at least eight times in the series. Tyler Powers, Evarts and McKenzie hit safely in all three games of the series.
• Skyler Hunter (3-for-6) recorded hits from both sides of the plate for the third time in the last six and 16th time in his Purdue career. Hunter also extended his reached base safely streak in Big Ten play to 20 consecutive games.
• Evarts' career-high four RBI were also the most by a Boilermaker this season.
• McKenzie extended his reached base safely streak to 17 consecutive games.
Ryan Beard induced three ground ball double plays, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the second inning and erasing leadoff singles in the bottom of the third and fifth. The lefty has induced seven double plays in 27 1/3 innings this season.
Beard had posted four consecutive zeros and retired the first two batters of the sixth inning, when the game's momentum took a dramatic turn. A two-out single, an error by Albrecht and four-pitch walk loaded the bases for Northwestern. Conner Tomasic replaced Beard on the mound, but was greeted rudely by Leo Kaplan. In his first at-bat of the day, Kaplan connected for a long ball to left field to give the Wildcats a 7-6 lead.
Hunter opened the game with an extra-base hit into the right field corner for the second time this week, scoring on an RBI ground out from Charlie Nasuti. He delivered a two-out RBI hit the following frame. Albrecht scored from first base after the gapper to left center split the outfielders. It would have been a triple, but Hunter was called out for missing second base. His hit from the left side of the plate was an RBI double in the sixth inning.
Evarts delivered a two-run single with the bases loaded in the third inning. It was his second run-scoring hit with the bases loaded in the series.
Willie Bourbon hit Northwestern's two-out, three-run homer in the first inning.
The Boilermakers are back in action Tuesday when they open a five-game homestand vs. Valparaiso. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. ET.
EVANSTON, Ill. – With a leadoff man aboard eight times and multiple base runners in every frame, Purdue baseball scored in six different innings to win a back-and-forth rubber game at Northwestern 9-7 Sunday.
The Boilermakers (7-16, 2-1 B1G) overcame deficits of 3-1 and 7-6, winning despite stranding 15 runners on base. The Wildcats (6-13, 1-2 B1G) scored all seven of their runs on two-out homers, a three-run shot in the first inning and grand slam in the bottom of the sixth.
Five different Purdue players reached base safely at least three times, including Cole McKenzie and Zac Fascia earning their way on base five times apiece. They batted 3-4 in the lineup again Sunday. Northwestern recorded only two outs against them in a combined 12 plate appearances. Overall, the Boilermakers drew 15 free passes (10 walks, 5 hit by pitch).
Fascia's double was the big hit of the two-run eighth inning that gave Purdue the lead back. McKenzie scored the tying run on an error by the NU shortstop. Nick Evarts was credited with his fourth RBI on the play. Ryan Howe came through with a sacrifice fly to center field moments later to plate Fascia as the go-ahead run.
SUNDAY NOTABLES
• The Boilermakers posted their first series win in Evanston since 2012.
• Purdue has won its first series of Big Ten play in consecutive years for the first time since 1994 and 1995.
• With Sunday wins vs. NJIT and Northwestern this month, the Boilermakers' already have two rubber game victories this season. They had not won multiple rubber games in the same year since 2015 and same month since April 2011.
• Evan Albrecht (.667 OBP), Nick Evarts (.643) and Cole McKenzie (.533) all reached base safely at least eight times in the series. Tyler Powers, Evarts and McKenzie hit safely in all three games of the series.
• Skyler Hunter (3-for-6) recorded hits from both sides of the plate for the third time in the last six and 16th time in his Purdue career. Hunter also extended his reached base safely streak in Big Ten play to 20 consecutive games.
• Evarts' career-high four RBI were also the most by a Boilermaker this season.
• McKenzie extended his reached base safely streak to 17 consecutive games.
Bo Hofstra closed out the victory with two innings of hitless relief, earning his second save of the series. He worked Purdue's only true 1-2-3 inning of the day in the eighth inning.Coach @Waz4412 was pleased with the way his team scored runs in multiple ways to win a rubber game & series on the road at Northwestern to open Big Ten play. #BoilerUp #HappyBirthday pic.twitter.com/Cj6ozmWkB4
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) March 24, 2019
Ryan Beard induced three ground ball double plays, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the second inning and erasing leadoff singles in the bottom of the third and fifth. The lefty has induced seven double plays in 27 1/3 innings this season.
Beard had posted four consecutive zeros and retired the first two batters of the sixth inning, when the game's momentum took a dramatic turn. A two-out single, an error by Albrecht and four-pitch walk loaded the bases for Northwestern. Conner Tomasic replaced Beard on the mound, but was greeted rudely by Leo Kaplan. In his first at-bat of the day, Kaplan connected for a long ball to left field to give the Wildcats a 7-6 lead.
Hunter opened the game with an extra-base hit into the right field corner for the second time this week, scoring on an RBI ground out from Charlie Nasuti. He delivered a two-out RBI hit the following frame. Albrecht scored from first base after the gapper to left center split the outfielders. It would have been a triple, but Hunter was called out for missing second base. His hit from the left side of the plate was an RBI double in the sixth inning.
Evarts delivered a two-run single with the bases loaded in the third inning. It was his second run-scoring hit with the bases loaded in the series.
Willie Bourbon hit Northwestern's two-out, three-run homer in the first inning.
The Boilermakers are back in action Tuesday when they open a five-game homestand vs. Valparaiso. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. ET.