ROUND ROCK, Texas – Zac Fascia delivered the game-winning RBI on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning after the Boilermakers had overcome three different one-run deficits, lifting Purdue baseball to a 6-5 win vs. Nebraska in the season opener for both teams.
Pitchers Trent Johnson (7), Cory Brooks (5) and Jackson Smeltz (3) teamed up for 15 strikeouts, matching the fourth most in team history and the top total since setting program record with 18 in a 10-inning game at Indiana in April 2018. Smeltz struck out the side in the ninth inning to set up the walk-off in the bottom half of the frame.
Ben Nisle led the way offensively with three hits and three runs scored, including the game-winning run in the ninth. It was his fifth career game with at least three hits. He also tripled and scored the game-tying run on a two-out passed ball in the seventh inning.
FRIDAY NOTABLES
• The Boilermakers won their season opener in their last at-bat for the second year in a row. But it was their first walk-off win since March 2019 vs. Penn State at Alexander Field.
• Purdue snapped a seven-game losing streak vs. Nebraska that dated back to March 2016. It was the Boilermakers' first win vs. the Huskers as the "home" team since they became conference rivals beginning in 2012.
• Purdue improved to 7-4 in season openers dating back to 2011. Six of those seven victories have come in neutral-site affairs.
• The Huskers scored four of their five runs on home runs, all to right field. The Boilermakers won a game in which the opposition went deep three times for the first time since game 3 of the abbreviated 2020 campaign.
• Trent Johnson became Purdue's first pitcher since Jay Buente (2003-06) to pitch in four consecutive season openers.
• Skyler Hunter recorded his 222nd career hit on a fourth-inning single, moving up one spot on the program's all-time list as he matched 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year and current big leaguer Kevin Plawecki. Hunter made his fifth straight season-opening start Friday.
• As a pinch hitter in the ninth inning, Jack Firestone drew a walk in front of Fascia in his first collegiate plate appearance. Firestone redshirted last spring after not seeing action in any of Purdue's 14 games.
The Boilermakers overcame deficits of 1-0, 4-3 and 5-4, scoring a run in each of the final three innings.
Nisle's chopper past the shortstop ignited the game-winning rally in the bottom of the ninth. Miles Simington was hit by a pitch and Firestone drew the walk to load the bases. Fascia had struck out with the bases loaded to end the first inning. This time he hit a slicing line drive down the left field line. Joe Acker made a fine sliding catch, but once he had to leave his feet, Nisle was able to score easily from third base to end the game.
Mason Gavre, Kyle LaPlante and Simington all singled home a run in the third inning as the Boilermakers scored three times to build a 3-1 lead. Nisle also ignited that rally with a one-out single. Gavre and LaPlante both delivered a two-out, two-strike RBI single to extend the scoring.
Purdue pitchers successfully stranded 13 men on base in the win. Brooks (sixth) and Smeltz (ninth) each recorded three strikeouts in an inning, but the Boilermakers did not have a 1-2-3 frame.
The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader at 11 a.m. ET. Game 1 is scheduled to be seven innings and the nightcap the traditional nine innings.
Pitchers Trent Johnson (7), Cory Brooks (5) and Jackson Smeltz (3) teamed up for 15 strikeouts, matching the fourth most in team history and the top total since setting program record with 18 in a 10-inning game at Indiana in April 2018. Smeltz struck out the side in the ninth inning to set up the walk-off in the bottom half of the frame.
Ben Nisle led the way offensively with three hits and three runs scored, including the game-winning run in the ninth. It was his fifth career game with at least three hits. He also tripled and scored the game-tying run on a two-out passed ball in the seventh inning.
FRIDAY NOTABLES
• The Boilermakers won their season opener in their last at-bat for the second year in a row. But it was their first walk-off win since March 2019 vs. Penn State at Alexander Field.
• Purdue snapped a seven-game losing streak vs. Nebraska that dated back to March 2016. It was the Boilermakers' first win vs. the Huskers as the "home" team since they became conference rivals beginning in 2012.
• Purdue improved to 7-4 in season openers dating back to 2011. Six of those seven victories have come in neutral-site affairs.
• The Huskers scored four of their five runs on home runs, all to right field. The Boilermakers won a game in which the opposition went deep three times for the first time since game 3 of the abbreviated 2020 campaign.
• Trent Johnson became Purdue's first pitcher since Jay Buente (2003-06) to pitch in four consecutive season openers.
• Skyler Hunter recorded his 222nd career hit on a fourth-inning single, moving up one spot on the program's all-time list as he matched 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year and current big leaguer Kevin Plawecki. Hunter made his fifth straight season-opening start Friday.
• As a pinch hitter in the ninth inning, Jack Firestone drew a walk in front of Fascia in his first collegiate plate appearance. Firestone redshirted last spring after not seeing action in any of Purdue's 14 games.
The Boilermakers overcame deficits of 1-0, 4-3 and 5-4, scoring a run in each of the final three innings.
Nisle's chopper past the shortstop ignited the game-winning rally in the bottom of the ninth. Miles Simington was hit by a pitch and Firestone drew the walk to load the bases. Fascia had struck out with the bases loaded to end the first inning. This time he hit a slicing line drive down the left field line. Joe Acker made a fine sliding catch, but once he had to leave his feet, Nisle was able to score easily from third base to end the game.
Mason Gavre, Kyle LaPlante and Simington all singled home a run in the third inning as the Boilermakers scored three times to build a 3-1 lead. Nisle also ignited that rally with a one-out single. Gavre and LaPlante both delivered a two-out, two-strike RBI single to extend the scoring.
Purdue pitchers successfully stranded 13 men on base in the win. Brooks (sixth) and Smeltz (ninth) each recorded three strikeouts in an inning, but the Boilermakers did not have a 1-2-3 frame.
The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader at 11 a.m. ET. Game 1 is scheduled to be seven innings and the nightcap the traditional nine innings.