CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Miles Simington and Zac Fascia homered in the first two innings, powering Purdue to an early lead and 20-6 victory vs. Illinois on Monday to punctuate a perfect 4-0 weekend at the three-team pod at Illinois Field.
The Boilermakers (10-15) have won five straight overall and six of their last seven. They've posted a win streak of at least five games for the second year in a row and fourth season in the last five dating back to 2017. Purdue won twice against both Michigan State and Illinois (10-14) this weekend, becoming the first Big Ten team to sweep a three-team pod this season and enjoying an undefeated weekend of at least three games in Champaign for the first time ever.
Punctuated by a six-run ninth inning, the Boilermakers scored multiple runs in five different frames. They also scored five in the top of the second. The 20 runs were the program's most since scoring 27 in a May 2018 blowout of Purdue Fort Wayne at Alexander Field. Purdue had not scored 20 in a Big Ten game since a 25-8 win at Indiana in April 2006.
The Boilermakers scored 13 runs in the ninth inning this weekend and have registered 33 ninth inning runs in their first 25 games.
Purdue won a series vs. the Illini in Champaign for the first time since May 2010 and swept them for the first time since taking both games of a doubleheader in April 1988. Next up, the Boilermakers host Illinois for a three-game series at Alexander Field this coming weekend. They've won six straight vs. the Illini in West Lafayette dating back to 2012.
Simington and Fascia both homered to right field with two outs. Simington hit a two-run shot and Fascia connected for a three-run blast, both registering their first home runs of the season. Purdue hit a two-run homer in the top of the first in both games vs. Illinois this weekend after Ben Nisle also did it Sunday.
Freshman Jeremy Schork connected for a grand slam in the ninth inning, his first collegiate home run. He joined Cam Thompson as Boilermakers with a grand slam this year. Purdue has hit two slams in a season for the first time since 2016.
Meanwhile, Jett Jackson worked three innings of one-hit ball in his first start since March 28. He was lifted after the first two batters he faced reached base to begin the bottom of the fourth, but the sophomore was not expected to go deep after not pitching more than an inning since March 21. More importantly, he retired eight consecutive batters after issuing a leadoff walk to begin his outing. After Purdue went up 7-0 on Fascia's home run, Jackson quickly posted a zero in the bottom half of the frame with a nine-pitch 1-2-3 inning. The only hit he allowed was a two-out bunt single.
Ricky Castro (1-0) retired the first five hitters in the Illinois lineup consecutively, beginning with a 4-6-3 double play to erase a leadoff single from the nine-hole hitter in the fifth inning.
Simington finished with four RBI after adding a two-run single in the fifth inning. Including his go-ahead, two-run double in the ninth inning Sunday, Simington racked up six RBI over the span of five at-bats. He extended his reached base safely streak to 14 consecutive games. Ben Nisle is also a 14-game streak after recording a single and a walk Monday. Both outfielders hit safely in all four games of the series.
Skyler Hunter ripped the first pitch of the game into the outfield for a hit for the second game in a row. He ended up singling and scoring in each of the first two innings, hitting safely in all four games of a weekend for the sixth time as a Boilermaker but first time since 2018. He has reached base safely in 12 straight games. It was Hunter's 72nd career multi-hit game.
Mike Bolton Jr. had multiple hits for the second time on the weekend, joining Kyle LaPlante, Hunter, Simington and Fascia with multi-hit efforts. Evan Albrecht and LaPlante both had two RBI at the bottom of the lineup.
Friday's series opener vs. Illinois at Alexander Field is set for 6 p.m. ET. The Illini have only played three games at Alexander since the stadium opened in 2013.
MONDAY NOTABLES
• Purdue went 4-0 in a weekend for the first time since sweeping Santa Clara in the South Bay on the second half of the 2017 spring break trip in California.
• Three different Boilermakers homered in the same game for the first time since April 2017 vs. Indiana. Dating back to 2001, another instance of three different left-handed hitters going deep in the same game could not be found.
• From 2013 to 2019, the Boilermakers were 1-11 in Champaign as the home team had dominated the head-to-head series dating back to Purdue's sweep of Illinois at Lambert Field in 2012.
• The Boilermakers won four straight games in Champaign for the first time since winning five straight across the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
The Boilermakers (10-15) have won five straight overall and six of their last seven. They've posted a win streak of at least five games for the second year in a row and fourth season in the last five dating back to 2017. Purdue won twice against both Michigan State and Illinois (10-14) this weekend, becoming the first Big Ten team to sweep a three-team pod this season and enjoying an undefeated weekend of at least three games in Champaign for the first time ever.
Punctuated by a six-run ninth inning, the Boilermakers scored multiple runs in five different frames. They also scored five in the top of the second. The 20 runs were the program's most since scoring 27 in a May 2018 blowout of Purdue Fort Wayne at Alexander Field. Purdue had not scored 20 in a Big Ten game since a 25-8 win at Indiana in April 2006.
The Boilermakers scored 13 runs in the ninth inning this weekend and have registered 33 ninth inning runs in their first 25 games.
Purdue won a series vs. the Illini in Champaign for the first time since May 2010 and swept them for the first time since taking both games of a doubleheader in April 1988. Next up, the Boilermakers host Illinois for a three-game series at Alexander Field this coming weekend. They've won six straight vs. the Illini in West Lafayette dating back to 2012.
Simington and Fascia both homered to right field with two outs. Simington hit a two-run shot and Fascia connected for a three-run blast, both registering their first home runs of the season. Purdue hit a two-run homer in the top of the first in both games vs. Illinois this weekend after Ben Nisle also did it Sunday.
Freshman Jeremy Schork connected for a grand slam in the ninth inning, his first collegiate home run. He joined Cam Thompson as Boilermakers with a grand slam this year. Purdue has hit two slams in a season for the first time since 2016.
Meanwhile, Jett Jackson worked three innings of one-hit ball in his first start since March 28. He was lifted after the first two batters he faced reached base to begin the bottom of the fourth, but the sophomore was not expected to go deep after not pitching more than an inning since March 21. More importantly, he retired eight consecutive batters after issuing a leadoff walk to begin his outing. After Purdue went up 7-0 on Fascia's home run, Jackson quickly posted a zero in the bottom half of the frame with a nine-pitch 1-2-3 inning. The only hit he allowed was a two-out bunt single.
Ricky Castro (1-0) retired the first five hitters in the Illinois lineup consecutively, beginning with a 4-6-3 double play to erase a leadoff single from the nine-hole hitter in the fifth inning.
Simington finished with four RBI after adding a two-run single in the fifth inning. Including his go-ahead, two-run double in the ninth inning Sunday, Simington racked up six RBI over the span of five at-bats. He extended his reached base safely streak to 14 consecutive games. Ben Nisle is also a 14-game streak after recording a single and a walk Monday. Both outfielders hit safely in all four games of the series.
Skyler Hunter ripped the first pitch of the game into the outfield for a hit for the second game in a row. He ended up singling and scoring in each of the first two innings, hitting safely in all four games of a weekend for the sixth time as a Boilermaker but first time since 2018. He has reached base safely in 12 straight games. It was Hunter's 72nd career multi-hit game.
Mike Bolton Jr. had multiple hits for the second time on the weekend, joining Kyle LaPlante, Hunter, Simington and Fascia with multi-hit efforts. Evan Albrecht and LaPlante both had two RBI at the bottom of the lineup.
Friday's series opener vs. Illinois at Alexander Field is set for 6 p.m. ET. The Illini have only played three games at Alexander since the stadium opened in 2013.
MONDAY NOTABLES
• Purdue went 4-0 in a weekend for the first time since sweeping Santa Clara in the South Bay on the second half of the 2017 spring break trip in California.
• Three different Boilermakers homered in the same game for the first time since April 2017 vs. Indiana. Dating back to 2001, another instance of three different left-handed hitters going deep in the same game could not be found.
• From 2013 to 2019, the Boilermakers were 1-11 in Champaign as the home team had dominated the head-to-head series dating back to Purdue's sweep of Illinois at Lambert Field in 2012.
• The Boilermakers won four straight games in Champaign for the first time since winning five straight across the 2001 and 2002 seasons.