GREENVILLE, S.C. – Ben Nisle homered for the second day in a row, connecting for a three-run blast that doubled as his 100th career hit, but No. 19 Michigan scored the final nine runs of the game to rally past Purdue baseball 11-6 Sunday in the finale of a four-game series.
The Boilermakers (1-7) scored three times in the third and fifth innings to build a 6-2 lead. But the Wolverines (7-1) strung together two walks and four hits in the bottom of the fifth to seize back the momentum with a five-run frame. Jake Marti's two-out, two-run single – which took a big hop over sliding second baseman Evan Albrecht – plated the game-tying and go-ahead tallies.
Joe Pace struck out five of the eight batters he faced, including the side in order in the sixth inning. While Purdue's bullpen was unable to stabilize the action until it was too late, Pace (1-0) led the way as Michigan relievers finished the game by posting four consecutive zeros.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases with two outs in the third inning and then capitalized on U-M's wildness, all three run scoring with Nisle at the plate before he put the ball in play. Skyler Hunter scored on a wild pitch. Moments later, a passed ball allowed Albrecht to score. Miles Simington also raced down the line after the Michigan catcher threw the ball into no man's on the left side of the infield. The Wolverines recovered in time to be in position to tag out Simington at the plate, but the ball popped free from the pitcher's glove as Simington slid into the plate.
Tyler Powers singled to open the fifth inning. He and Simington were aboard when Nisle homered over the mini Green Monster in left field for the second time in the series. Kyle LaPlante followed with a double and Purdue loaded the bases via a pair of walks but could not cash in for additional runs.
Walks to Michigan's No. 3 and 5 hitters ignited the rally in the bottom half of the frame, setting the stage for the 6-7-8 hitters to deliver the big hits. Nolan Daniel (0-1) recorded a big strikeout with runners on second and third for the second out of the inning, but he was unable to win his matchup with Marti.
Jett Jackson once again recorded more strikeouts (5) than hits allowed (2). He struck out the side in the first inning, but also gave up a solo home run. The only other hit he surrendered was of the infield variety to the final batter he faced in the bottom of the fourth. He was lifted after 82 pitches and 15 batters faced, retiring nine of them.
The Boilermakers return to action Friday when they begin a three-game series at rival Indiana. First pitch at Bart Kaufman Field is set for 3 p.m. ET. It will be Purdue's seventh trip to Bloomington since IU's stadium opened in 2013.
SUNDAY NOTABLES
• Ben Nisle homered for the second day in a row, going deep in consecutive games for the second time as a Boilermaker (first since March 2018). He finished the series 6-for-15 with four extra-base hits and did not strikeout in any of his 16 plate appearances.
• Skyler Hunter drew a career-high three walks, extending his reached base safely streak in Big Ten play to 14 consecutive games. He also recorded his second outfield assist of the series. The center fielder threw out a runner at third base on a fly out in the fourth inning, registering his ninth career outfield assist. It proved to be a key out because an RBI double followed. Meanwhile, Hunter has more walks (7) than strikeouts (6) over the first eight games. Entering the season, the switch-hitter had drawn just 51 walks in 177 career games.
• Miles Simington singled in his first at-bat to extend his hit streak to nine consecutive games dating back to finale of the 2020 season. He finished the series 5-for-14. Evan Albrecht (4-for-15) and Nisle also hit safely in all four games of the series.
• Landon Weins retired all five batters he pitched to, striking out U-M's No. 5 and 6 hitters with the bases loaded after an intentional walk in the seventh inning. He followed that up with a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the eighth.
• Catcher Steve Ramirez threw out base stealers at both second and third base but was only credited with one caught stealing. He teamed up with pitcher Nick Alvarado and second baseman Evan Albrecht for a strike 'em out throw 'em out double play to end the sixth inning. Albrecht made an impressive pick and tag at the bag. Ramirez also cut down a runner at third to end the first inning, but the home plate umpire eventually ruled that the pitch was strike three to the batter.
• Purdue scored more runs Sunday than it had in its previous six games combined. Nine of the team's 17 tallies over the first eight games have been scored as part of three-run innings. The Boilermakers held the lead Sunday for the first time since the ninth inning walk-off to finish their season-opening victory. Purdue pitchers had gone 55 consecutive innings without working with a lead.
• The Boilermakers were dealt the toughest draw in the league over the first three weekends of in the Big Ten's conference-only schedule. Purdue's first three opponents – Nebraska (5-2), Michigan (7-1) and Indiana (6-1) – are a combined 18-4 as the Huskers and Hoosiers were finishing games Sunday.
The Boilermakers (1-7) scored three times in the third and fifth innings to build a 6-2 lead. But the Wolverines (7-1) strung together two walks and four hits in the bottom of the fifth to seize back the momentum with a five-run frame. Jake Marti's two-out, two-run single – which took a big hop over sliding second baseman Evan Albrecht – plated the game-tying and go-ahead tallies.
Joe Pace struck out five of the eight batters he faced, including the side in order in the sixth inning. While Purdue's bullpen was unable to stabilize the action until it was too late, Pace (1-0) led the way as Michigan relievers finished the game by posting four consecutive zeros.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases with two outs in the third inning and then capitalized on U-M's wildness, all three run scoring with Nisle at the plate before he put the ball in play. Skyler Hunter scored on a wild pitch. Moments later, a passed ball allowed Albrecht to score. Miles Simington also raced down the line after the Michigan catcher threw the ball into no man's on the left side of the infield. The Wolverines recovered in time to be in position to tag out Simington at the plate, but the ball popped free from the pitcher's glove as Simington slid into the plate.
Tyler Powers singled to open the fifth inning. He and Simington were aboard when Nisle homered over the mini Green Monster in left field for the second time in the series. Kyle LaPlante followed with a double and Purdue loaded the bases via a pair of walks but could not cash in for additional runs.
Walks to Michigan's No. 3 and 5 hitters ignited the rally in the bottom half of the frame, setting the stage for the 6-7-8 hitters to deliver the big hits. Nolan Daniel (0-1) recorded a big strikeout with runners on second and third for the second out of the inning, but he was unable to win his matchup with Marti.
Jett Jackson once again recorded more strikeouts (5) than hits allowed (2). He struck out the side in the first inning, but also gave up a solo home run. The only other hit he surrendered was of the infield variety to the final batter he faced in the bottom of the fourth. He was lifted after 82 pitches and 15 batters faced, retiring nine of them.
The Boilermakers return to action Friday when they begin a three-game series at rival Indiana. First pitch at Bart Kaufman Field is set for 3 p.m. ET. It will be Purdue's seventh trip to Bloomington since IU's stadium opened in 2013.
SUNDAY NOTABLES
• Ben Nisle homered for the second day in a row, going deep in consecutive games for the second time as a Boilermaker (first since March 2018). He finished the series 6-for-15 with four extra-base hits and did not strikeout in any of his 16 plate appearances.
• Skyler Hunter drew a career-high three walks, extending his reached base safely streak in Big Ten play to 14 consecutive games. He also recorded his second outfield assist of the series. The center fielder threw out a runner at third base on a fly out in the fourth inning, registering his ninth career outfield assist. It proved to be a key out because an RBI double followed. Meanwhile, Hunter has more walks (7) than strikeouts (6) over the first eight games. Entering the season, the switch-hitter had drawn just 51 walks in 177 career games.
• Miles Simington singled in his first at-bat to extend his hit streak to nine consecutive games dating back to finale of the 2020 season. He finished the series 5-for-14. Evan Albrecht (4-for-15) and Nisle also hit safely in all four games of the series.
• Landon Weins retired all five batters he pitched to, striking out U-M's No. 5 and 6 hitters with the bases loaded after an intentional walk in the seventh inning. He followed that up with a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the eighth.
• Catcher Steve Ramirez threw out base stealers at both second and third base but was only credited with one caught stealing. He teamed up with pitcher Nick Alvarado and second baseman Evan Albrecht for a strike 'em out throw 'em out double play to end the sixth inning. Albrecht made an impressive pick and tag at the bag. Ramirez also cut down a runner at third to end the first inning, but the home plate umpire eventually ruled that the pitch was strike three to the batter.
• Purdue scored more runs Sunday than it had in its previous six games combined. Nine of the team's 17 tallies over the first eight games have been scored as part of three-run innings. The Boilermakers held the lead Sunday for the first time since the ninth inning walk-off to finish their season-opening victory. Purdue pitchers had gone 55 consecutive innings without working with a lead.
• The Boilermakers were dealt the toughest draw in the league over the first three weekends of in the Big Ten's conference-only schedule. Purdue's first three opponents – Nebraska (5-2), Michigan (7-1) and Indiana (6-1) – are a combined 18-4 as the Huskers and Hoosiers were finishing games Sunday.