Box Score: PDF / XML /// Homestand Stats
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball scored multiple runs in three consecutive frames early in the game and posted six straight zeros on the mound to close out the win, defeating Ball State 9-3 Tuesday in the finale of a nine-game homestand at Alexander Field.
Charlie Nasuti connected for an RBI double in each of his first two at-bats. Skyler Hunter had three hits and three RBI, pushing his career hits total to 199. The switch-hitter recorded hits from both sides of the plate for the 20th time as a Boilermaker. Cole McKenzie (2-for-4, HBP) and Bryce Bonner (2-for-4, walk) both doubled and reached base safely three times.
James Kulak, Cory Brooks and Austin Peterson teamed up for six innings of scoreless relief. Kulak (2-1) retired eight of the first nine batters he faced while working three innings of two-hit ball, his longest relief outing of the season. Cory Brooks did not allow a hit over two innings and has now worked nine consecutive scoreless frames to begin his college career. Evan Albrecht and Tyler Powers turned inning-ending 6-4-3 double plays to finish off the last two frames.
The Boilermakers (19-28) finished their homestand with a 6-3 record, topping a 30-win Ball State (30-17) team in the finale. Purdue has won four straight games in midweek action.
Zac Fascia singled in the third inning to extend his hit streak to a season-long 11 consecutive games, matching McKenzie for the second longest streak on the team this year. McKenzie also reached base safely in all nine games of the homestand and is riding a 15-game streak overall. Celebrating his 21st birthday Tuesday, McKenzie recorded multiple hits for the 10th time since April 10. He's batting .426 with a .520 on-base percentage during that stretch.
Nick Evarts had three productive plate appearances in his first start since suffering a hamstring injury April 7. He singled, walked and executed a sacrifice bunt in front of Nasuti's two-run double in the third inning.
Albrecht scored from first base on McKenzie's opposite-field double to left field for Purdue's third run of the second inning. McKenzie and Bonner teamed up for a perfectly executed hit-and-run single in the bottom of the fourth. Both runners scored on Hunter's single through the right side.
Bonner ripped a two-out double to the wall in left field in the sixth inning and scored when Hunter followed with a bloop single down the left field line.
Freshman Conner Tomasic made his first collegiate start Tuesday, playing third base after also pitching in 13 games this season. Tomasic's first career hit, an infield single in the seventh inning, produced his first RBI as well after pinch runner Justin Fugitt never stopped running from second base.
Kyle Wade struck out four over three innings in his second start of the season. All four Ks came with runners on base.
Purdue and Ball State split their home and home midweek series for the fifth consecutive year.
The Boilermakers are back in action Friday when they open a three-game series at Illinois, making their first trip to Champaign-Urbana since April 2015. The series opener is slated for a 7 p.m. ET first pitch.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball scored multiple runs in three consecutive frames early in the game and posted six straight zeros on the mound to close out the win, defeating Ball State 9-3 Tuesday in the finale of a nine-game homestand at Alexander Field.
Charlie Nasuti connected for an RBI double in each of his first two at-bats. Skyler Hunter had three hits and three RBI, pushing his career hits total to 199. The switch-hitter recorded hits from both sides of the plate for the 20th time as a Boilermaker. Cole McKenzie (2-for-4, HBP) and Bryce Bonner (2-for-4, walk) both doubled and reached base safely three times.
James Kulak, Cory Brooks and Austin Peterson teamed up for six innings of scoreless relief. Kulak (2-1) retired eight of the first nine batters he faced while working three innings of two-hit ball, his longest relief outing of the season. Cory Brooks did not allow a hit over two innings and has now worked nine consecutive scoreless frames to begin his college career. Evan Albrecht and Tyler Powers turned inning-ending 6-4-3 double plays to finish off the last two frames.
The Boilermakers (19-28) finished their homestand with a 6-3 record, topping a 30-win Ball State (30-17) team in the finale. Purdue has won four straight games in midweek action.
Zac Fascia singled in the third inning to extend his hit streak to a season-long 11 consecutive games, matching McKenzie for the second longest streak on the team this year. McKenzie also reached base safely in all nine games of the homestand and is riding a 15-game streak overall. Celebrating his 21st birthday Tuesday, McKenzie recorded multiple hits for the 10th time since April 10. He's batting .426 with a .520 on-base percentage during that stretch.
Nick Evarts had three productive plate appearances in his first start since suffering a hamstring injury April 7. He singled, walked and executed a sacrifice bunt in front of Nasuti's two-run double in the third inning.
Nasuti doubled to right center with Evarts at second base in the bottom of the second, driving in the Boilermakers' first run. He connected for another gapper to left center the following frame..@nasuticharles delivered an RBI double in each of his first 2 at-bats, driving in 3 early runs as #Purdue posted 3 consecutive multi-run innings. He breaks down the 9-3 win vs Ball State. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/MQ0DWZuy9M
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 8, 2019
Albrecht scored from first base on McKenzie's opposite-field double to left field for Purdue's third run of the second inning. McKenzie and Bonner teamed up for a perfectly executed hit-and-run single in the bottom of the fourth. Both runners scored on Hunter's single through the right side.
Bonner ripped a two-out double to the wall in left field in the sixth inning and scored when Hunter followed with a bloop single down the left field line.
Freshman Conner Tomasic made his first collegiate start Tuesday, playing third base after also pitching in 13 games this season. Tomasic's first career hit, an infield single in the seventh inning, produced his first RBI as well after pinch runner Justin Fugitt never stopped running from second base.
Kyle Wade struck out four over three innings in his second start of the season. All four Ks came with runners on base.
Purdue and Ball State split their home and home midweek series for the fifth consecutive year.
The Boilermakers are back in action Friday when they open a three-game series at Illinois, making their first trip to Champaign-Urbana since April 2015. The series opener is slated for a 7 p.m. ET first pitch.
Full Highlights from the @BTNStudentU production of #Purdue's 9-3 victory vs. Ball State in the finale of a 9-game homestand at Alexander Field. The Boilers connected for 4 doubles & the bullpen posted 6 straight zeros. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/gLHFwTRY73
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 8, 2019