Box Scores: Game 1 / Game 2
SANFORD, Fla. – Purdue baseball scored nine unanswered runs over its final two frames, riding another big eighth inning to a 10-4 victory vs. Hofstra in the nightcap of a Saturday doubleheader on day 2 of the season.
The Pride (1-2) won the first game 13-6, scoring four runs in the fourth inning and seven times in the top of the sixth.
Evan Albrecht and Miles Simington delivered the clutch hits as the Boilermakers' offense came to life in a big way after Hofstra starter Ryan Rue left the game in the bottom of the seventh. Albrecht delivered a two-out, two-run double to tie the score at 4-4. Simington connected for a grand slam to blow the game open the following frame. They helped turn a 4-1 deficit into the 10-4 victory.
Zac Fascia played a big part in both rallies. His leadoff double ignited the three-run seventh. The senior's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning plated Kyle LaPlante as the go-ahead run. Bryce Bonner, Simington and Albrecht also had two productive plate appearances each in both big innings.
Cory Brooks (1-0) worked five innings of one-run relief to close out the victory, striking out five in his longest outing as a Boilermaker. He retired seven of eight after giving up a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh.
LaPlante homered to left field to open the scoring in the nightcap, connecting for Purdue's first long ball of the season. Hofstra hit three homers to left field in the same game. LaPlante (6-for-12, 2B, HR, 5 RBI) and Fascia (5-for-10, 2 2B, 2 RBI, no strikeouts) have led the way offensively over the first three games of the series.
The first pitch of Sunday's series finale has been moved back an hour to 1 p.m. ET.
SATURDAY NOTABLES
• Miles Simington's grand slam was his first hit as a Boilermaker. He became the first Purdue player since Ben Nisle (in 2018) whose first hit was a home run. It was the team's first slam since Nick Dalesandro went deep with the bases loaded in April 2017 vs. Indiana.
• Jett Jackson (3+ IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB) and Jackson Smeltz (4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, BB, 3 K) started on the mound for Purdue (2-1) Saturday, both making their collegiate debuts. They became the Boilermakers' first pitchers since 2013 to debut as part of the rotation during the season-opening weekend.
• Purdue has registered a five-run inning on consecutive days for the first time since May 8 and 9, 2018 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne and Ball State.
• The Boilermakers also scored four times in the fifth inning of game 1 Saturday. May 2018 also marked the last time they had a four-run frame in three consecutive games.
• Bryce Bonner, Justin Fugitt, Tyler Powers and Simington were all productive offensively off the bench Saturday. In the series, Purdue's non-starters are a combined 4-for-5 with three extra base hits, three free passes, a sacrifice fly and eight RBI.
• Bonner delivered a two-out, two-run single as a pinch hitter, giving the Boilermakers a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning of game 1. Fugitt had a sacrifice fly as a pinch hitter in front of Evan Albrecht's game-tying double in the seventh inning of the nightcap.
• The Boilermakers turned three ground ball double plays in game 2 and five on the day. Smeltz induced a pair in his four innings of work. The biggest twin killing of the day was an inning-ending 3-6-3 double play handled primarily by Zac Fascia with the game tied 4-4 in the eighth inning of nightcap.
SANFORD, Fla. – Purdue baseball scored nine unanswered runs over its final two frames, riding another big eighth inning to a 10-4 victory vs. Hofstra in the nightcap of a Saturday doubleheader on day 2 of the season.
The Pride (1-2) won the first game 13-6, scoring four runs in the fourth inning and seven times in the top of the sixth.
Evan Albrecht and Miles Simington delivered the clutch hits as the Boilermakers' offense came to life in a big way after Hofstra starter Ryan Rue left the game in the bottom of the seventh. Albrecht delivered a two-out, two-run double to tie the score at 4-4. Simington connected for a grand slam to blow the game open the following frame. They helped turn a 4-1 deficit into the 10-4 victory.
Zac Fascia played a big part in both rallies. His leadoff double ignited the three-run seventh. The senior's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning plated Kyle LaPlante as the go-ahead run. Bryce Bonner, Simington and Albrecht also had two productive plate appearances each in both big innings.
Cory Brooks (1-0) worked five innings of one-run relief to close out the victory, striking out five in his longest outing as a Boilermaker. He retired seven of eight after giving up a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh.
LaPlante homered to left field to open the scoring in the nightcap, connecting for Purdue's first long ball of the season. Hofstra hit three homers to left field in the same game. LaPlante (6-for-12, 2B, HR, 5 RBI) and Fascia (5-for-10, 2 2B, 2 RBI, no strikeouts) have led the way offensively over the first three games of the series.
The first pitch of Sunday's series finale has been moved back an hour to 1 p.m. ET.
SATURDAY NOTABLES
• Miles Simington's grand slam was his first hit as a Boilermaker. He became the first Purdue player since Ben Nisle (in 2018) whose first hit was a home run. It was the team's first slam since Nick Dalesandro went deep with the bases loaded in April 2017 vs. Indiana.
• Jett Jackson (3+ IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB) and Jackson Smeltz (4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, BB, 3 K) started on the mound for Purdue (2-1) Saturday, both making their collegiate debuts. They became the Boilermakers' first pitchers since 2013 to debut as part of the rotation during the season-opening weekend.
• Purdue has registered a five-run inning on consecutive days for the first time since May 8 and 9, 2018 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne and Ball State.
• The Boilermakers also scored four times in the fifth inning of game 1 Saturday. May 2018 also marked the last time they had a four-run frame in three consecutive games.
• Bryce Bonner, Justin Fugitt, Tyler Powers and Simington were all productive offensively off the bench Saturday. In the series, Purdue's non-starters are a combined 4-for-5 with three extra base hits, three free passes, a sacrifice fly and eight RBI.
• Bonner delivered a two-out, two-run single as a pinch hitter, giving the Boilermakers a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning of game 1. Fugitt had a sacrifice fly as a pinch hitter in front of Evan Albrecht's game-tying double in the seventh inning of the nightcap.
• The Boilermakers turned three ground ball double plays in game 2 and five on the day. Smeltz induced a pair in his four innings of work. The biggest twin killing of the day was an inning-ending 3-6-3 double play handled primarily by Zac Fascia with the game tied 4-4 in the eighth inning of nightcap.