WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball's first extra-innings game at Alexander Field in two years featured Ben Nisle's first home run at home since 2018, but it was Iowa that scored twice in the 10th to take the series opener 4-2 Friday.
Eric Hildebrand escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning to extend the game, but the Boilermakers (3-12) were unable to pitch over three walks (two intentional) in the top of the 10th. Brett McCleary delivered the game-deciding, two-run single with the bases loaded and one out in the 10th.
Nisle went deep to left field with an 0-2 count in the third inning, giving Purdue a 2-1 lead. It was his third home run of the season and 12th career, both representing team-high totals. His last home run at Alexander was April 13, 2018, as part of a multi-homer game against Minnesota. Due to injury in 2019 and the shut down last year, Nisle entered the day having played only seven games at Alexander since the start of the 2019 campaign.
Calvin Schapira put together another quality start, working six innings of two-run ball for the second weekend in a row. The lefty surrendered only three hits while striking out six. Iowa (8-8) opened the game with consecutive hits, a double and RBI single, but Schapira settled in and did not give up another hit until there were two outs in the sixth inning.
A two-out dropped fly ball in short right field led to an unearned run, the game-tying tally, for the Hawkeyes in the fifth inning.
Walker also delivered Purdue's first RBI of the game. With the bases loaded and one out in the second inning, his fly ball to right field plated Mason Gavre as the Boilermakers pulled even at 1-1. Consecutive singles by Ryan Howe and Skyler Hunter helped set the stage.
Nick Alvarado was effective in long relief as the first Boilermaker out of the bullpen for the second straight Friday. He did not surrender a hit over 2 1/3 innings and has conceded just an unearned run over 6 1/3 innings in his first two appearances at Alexander Field. Alvarado worked around consecutive one-out free passes in the eighth inning.
Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
FRIDAY NOTABLES
• Miles Simington recorded his fourth straight two-hit game. He doubled over the right fielder's head in the sixth inning and is 8-for-17 over the last four games.
• Tyler Powers' six-game hit streak came to an end, but he drew a two-out walk in the seventh inning as the last batter Trenton Wallace faced. That free pass extended Powers' reached base-safely streak to nine consecutive games. The senior batted leadoff for the first time as a Boilermaker on Friday.
• In the ninth inning, Eric Hildebrand plunked Iowa pinch hitter Austin Martin with a 2-2 pitch. A swinging-bunt single followed to load the bases with one outs. But Hildebrand responded with a big strikeout vs. Iowa's most veteran hitter, Ben Norman. More impressively, Hildebrand came back from a 3-0 count to retire Matthew Sosa on a ground ball to first base for the final out of the frame.
• Evan Albrecht made three fine plays at second base, helping record the final out of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Albrecht also teamed up with Justin Walker Jr. for hit-and-run single in the seventh inning that led to the bases-loaded opportunity.
Purdue's last extra-innings game at home was a 10-inning victory vs. Penn State on March 31, 2019. The Boilermakers had not lost in extras at Alexander since April 2017 vs. Ball State.
Eric Hildebrand escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning to extend the game, but the Boilermakers (3-12) were unable to pitch over three walks (two intentional) in the top of the 10th. Brett McCleary delivered the game-deciding, two-run single with the bases loaded and one out in the 10th.
Nisle went deep to left field with an 0-2 count in the third inning, giving Purdue a 2-1 lead. It was his third home run of the season and 12th career, both representing team-high totals. His last home run at Alexander was April 13, 2018, as part of a multi-homer game against Minnesota. Due to injury in 2019 and the shut down last year, Nisle entered the day having played only seven games at Alexander since the start of the 2019 campaign.
Calvin Schapira put together another quality start, working six innings of two-run ball for the second weekend in a row. The lefty surrendered only three hits while striking out six. Iowa (8-8) opened the game with consecutive hits, a double and RBI single, but Schapira settled in and did not give up another hit until there were two outs in the sixth inning.
A two-out dropped fly ball in short right field led to an unearned run, the game-tying tally, for the Hawkeyes in the fifth inning.
Iowa used just two pitchers in the win. Dylan Nedved (2-0) struck out five over 3 1/3 innings of one-hit relief. He entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh, fanning Nisle to escape the jam. Only a two-out single from Justin Walker Jr. in the ninth inning kept Nedved from retiring all 10 batters he faced. Trenton Wallace also put together a quality start, striking out eight over 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball.Tell us this isn't perfect weather for BP 😍#NCAABaseball x 📸 @PurdueBaseball pic.twitter.com/LGVrSkEoin
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) April 2, 2021
Walker also delivered Purdue's first RBI of the game. With the bases loaded and one out in the second inning, his fly ball to right field plated Mason Gavre as the Boilermakers pulled even at 1-1. Consecutive singles by Ryan Howe and Skyler Hunter helped set the stage.
Nick Alvarado was effective in long relief as the first Boilermaker out of the bullpen for the second straight Friday. He did not surrender a hit over 2 1/3 innings and has conceded just an unearned run over 6 1/3 innings in his first two appearances at Alexander Field. Alvarado worked around consecutive one-out free passes in the eighth inning.
Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
FRIDAY NOTABLES
• Miles Simington recorded his fourth straight two-hit game. He doubled over the right fielder's head in the sixth inning and is 8-for-17 over the last four games.
• Tyler Powers' six-game hit streak came to an end, but he drew a two-out walk in the seventh inning as the last batter Trenton Wallace faced. That free pass extended Powers' reached base-safely streak to nine consecutive games. The senior batted leadoff for the first time as a Boilermaker on Friday.
• In the ninth inning, Eric Hildebrand plunked Iowa pinch hitter Austin Martin with a 2-2 pitch. A swinging-bunt single followed to load the bases with one outs. But Hildebrand responded with a big strikeout vs. Iowa's most veteran hitter, Ben Norman. More impressively, Hildebrand came back from a 3-0 count to retire Matthew Sosa on a ground ball to first base for the final out of the frame.
• Evan Albrecht made three fine plays at second base, helping record the final out of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Albrecht also teamed up with Justin Walker Jr. for hit-and-run single in the seventh inning that led to the bases-loaded opportunity.
Purdue's last extra-innings game at home was a 10-inning victory vs. Penn State on March 31, 2019. The Boilermakers had not lost in extras at Alexander since April 2017 vs. Ball State.
Another #4faves from the @PurdueBaseball game today. pic.twitter.com/JI8hacSXo6
— Dave Wegiel Photo (@pinolaphoto) April 3, 2021