SUGAR LAND, Texas – Purdue's pitching staff posted 15 zeros on the scoreboard over 18 error-free innings, leading the way in a doubleheader sweep of South Dakota State on day 2 of the series Saturday at Constellation Field.
The Boilermakers (3-0) scored 25 runs over the course of the day, winning 11-1 and 14-3. Paul Toetz, Ty Gill and Cam Thompson all hit home runs. Thompson's towering three-run blast to left field highlighted an eight-run seventh inning in the nightcap.
Jackson Smeltz (4 IP, 2 H, R, 3 BB, 7 K) and Ricky Castro (5 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K) teamed up on a three-hitter in game 1. Purdue kept SDSU from scoring for 11 consecutive innings during one stretch, which featured the final six innings of game 1 and the first five innings of the nightcap. Meanwhile, the bullpen began the season with a streak of 14 consecutive scoreless innings until the Jackrabbits (0-3) scored with two outs in the sixth inning of game 2.
SATURDAY NOTABLES
• Purdue swept a traditional doubleheader against a single opponent for the first time since March 2018 at Penn State.
• Mike Bolton Jr. reached base safely six times (2-for-2, 3 BB, HBP) in the nightcap, becoming the first Boilermaker to accomplish the feat since Brandon Krieg did it in a 10-inning win vs. Butler in April 2014 at Alexander Field. As Purdue's leadoff man, Bolton has reached base safely in 10 of his first 14 plate appearances in the series.
• Ty Gill homered in his first collegiate at-bat, going deep as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of game 1. He joined Paul Toetz as newcomers to go deep in their first at-bats as a Boilermaker this season.
• A freshman has now hit a pinch-hit home run each of the last two seasons for Purdue. From 2013 to 2020, the Boilermakers had just one pinch-hit home run.
• Toetz is the first Boilermaker to homer in each of the first two games of a season since Jacson McGowan in 2018.
• The eight-run inning was Purdue's most prolific since a nine-run outburst in a March 2019 win at Jacksonville State.
• Jake Stadler reached base safely twice in the big inning, recording his first collegiate hit in his second at-bat.
• Jackson Smeltz struck out a career-high seven vs. 16 batters faced.
• Troy Wansing fanned five of the 10 batters he faced over three innings of two-hit ball, making his collegiate debut as the game 2 starter. CJ Backer kept the momentum in the Boilermakers' favor by retiring the first eight batters he faced in relief of Wansing.
Eric Hildebrand and Cam Thompson teamed up for the biggest out of the day. With Purdue leading 4-1 in sixth inning of the nightcap, Hildebrand was called upon to take the mound with two outs and the bases loaded. He came back from a 3-0 count to induce a ground ball off the bat of No. 5 hitter Jess Bellows. As the first baseman, Thompson made a diving stop in the hole on the right side and flipped to Hildebrand covering to strand the bases loaded. The Boilermakers went on to score 10 times over in the subsequent two innings to blow the game open.
Troy Viola made a number of strong defensive plays at third base as he continued to impressive with his glove at the hot corner early this season. He also joined in on the offensive onslaught in the nightcap with a pair of RBI doubles.
Mike Bolton Jr. and Curtis Washington Jr. each connected for a two-run double. Bolton also led off the nightcap with a triple into the right field corner.
Sunday's series finale is slated for a 2 p.m. ET first pitch. Jett Jackson has been tabbed as Purdue's starting pitcher. He'll make a start on the mound during the season-opening weekend for the third year in a row.
The Boilermakers (3-0) scored 25 runs over the course of the day, winning 11-1 and 14-3. Paul Toetz, Ty Gill and Cam Thompson all hit home runs. Thompson's towering three-run blast to left field highlighted an eight-run seventh inning in the nightcap.
Jackson Smeltz (4 IP, 2 H, R, 3 BB, 7 K) and Ricky Castro (5 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K) teamed up on a three-hitter in game 1. Purdue kept SDSU from scoring for 11 consecutive innings during one stretch, which featured the final six innings of game 1 and the first five innings of the nightcap. Meanwhile, the bullpen began the season with a streak of 14 consecutive scoreless innings until the Jackrabbits (0-3) scored with two outs in the sixth inning of game 2.
SATURDAY NOTABLES
• Purdue swept a traditional doubleheader against a single opponent for the first time since March 2018 at Penn State.
• Mike Bolton Jr. reached base safely six times (2-for-2, 3 BB, HBP) in the nightcap, becoming the first Boilermaker to accomplish the feat since Brandon Krieg did it in a 10-inning win vs. Butler in April 2014 at Alexander Field. As Purdue's leadoff man, Bolton has reached base safely in 10 of his first 14 plate appearances in the series.
• Ty Gill homered in his first collegiate at-bat, going deep as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of game 1. He joined Paul Toetz as newcomers to go deep in their first at-bats as a Boilermaker this season.
• A freshman has now hit a pinch-hit home run each of the last two seasons for Purdue. From 2013 to 2020, the Boilermakers had just one pinch-hit home run.
• Toetz is the first Boilermaker to homer in each of the first two games of a season since Jacson McGowan in 2018.
• The eight-run inning was Purdue's most prolific since a nine-run outburst in a March 2019 win at Jacksonville State.
• Jake Stadler reached base safely twice in the big inning, recording his first collegiate hit in his second at-bat.
• Jackson Smeltz struck out a career-high seven vs. 16 batters faced.
• Troy Wansing fanned five of the 10 batters he faced over three innings of two-hit ball, making his collegiate debut as the game 2 starter. CJ Backer kept the momentum in the Boilermakers' favor by retiring the first eight batters he faced in relief of Wansing.
Eric Hildebrand and Cam Thompson teamed up for the biggest out of the day. With Purdue leading 4-1 in sixth inning of the nightcap, Hildebrand was called upon to take the mound with two outs and the bases loaded. He came back from a 3-0 count to induce a ground ball off the bat of No. 5 hitter Jess Bellows. As the first baseman, Thompson made a diving stop in the hole on the right side and flipped to Hildebrand covering to strand the bases loaded. The Boilermakers went on to score 10 times over in the subsequent two innings to blow the game open.
Troy Viola made a number of strong defensive plays at third base as he continued to impressive with his glove at the hot corner early this season. He also joined in on the offensive onslaught in the nightcap with a pair of RBI doubles.
Mike Bolton Jr. and Curtis Washington Jr. each connected for a two-run double. Bolton also led off the nightcap with a triple into the right field corner.
Sunday's series finale is slated for a 2 p.m. ET first pitch. Jett Jackson has been tabbed as Purdue's starting pitcher. He'll make a start on the mound during the season-opening weekend for the third year in a row.