SUGAR LAND, Texas – Cam Thompson's three-run double and Evan Albrecht's first collegiate home run highlighted a seven-run first inning, an extended rally that powered Purdue baseball to a 10-7 victory vs. South Dakota State on Sunday at Constellation Field.
The Boilermakers (4-0) completed the sweep of the season-opening four-game series. Purdue scored 40 runs on the weekend, reaching the double-figure mark in three consecutive games for the first time since May 2012.
But South Dakota State (0-4) outscored the Boilermakers 6-2 after Purdue opened up an 8-1 lead. Kyle Wade and Griffin Lohman recorded some key outs to prevent the Jackrabbits from capitalizing on having the tying run in scoring position. The Boilermakers led 8-6 when Wade stranded the bases loaded in the sixth inning. Their lead was 9-7 when Lohman finished off the top of the eighth with a strikeout, with SDSU stranding the bases loaded for the third time on the day.
Wade did not surrender an earned run over 3 1/3 innings of relief, striking out four vs. one walk. Eric Hildebrand induced a 6-4-3 double play in the ninth inning to erase a leadoff single, earning his first save as a Boilermaker. Wade was one of four relievers to work at least three innings in the series. That quartet accounted for 15 2/3 innings of two-run ball.
THE LAST TIME
• Purdue opened a season 4-0: 2018 (5-0)
• Purdue swept a traditional non-conference series: February 2018 vs. Western Michigan (3 games)
• Purdue swept a traditional four-game series: March 2017 at Santa Clara
• Purdue enjoyed a 4-0 weekend: April 2021 vs. Michigan State and Illinois in Champaign
Jake Stadler and Evan Albrecht each created an insurance run with their baserunning. Both runs went on the board after SDSU had scored in the top half of the frame. In the sixth, Stadler moved into third base with one out via a pair of ball-in-dirt reads. Mike Bolton Jr. was robbed of likely a triple on a leaping catch by left fielder Jess Bellows, but Bolton drove the ball plenty deep to allow Stadler to trot home. Albrecht was in motion from first base when a 58-foot fastball skipped by the SDSU catcher. Albrecht never broke stride and motored into third base, where he did not stay long after the throw got away down the left field line.
Bolton (.579), Paul Toetz (.529) and Thompson (.500) all finished the series with on-base percentages of .500 or better. While hitting in the top half of the lineup, they reached base safely a combined 28 times. Curtis Washington Jr. and Bolton both scored seven times, including on Thompson's three-run double down the left field line in the first inning.
Albrecht went deep to left field to cap the scoring in the first inning, connecting for his first home run in his 285th career at-bat as a Boilermaker. Purdue also scored eight times in the seventh inning of game 3 of the series.
The Boilermakers racked up 44 strikeouts in 36 innings in the series, a total that ranks second to only the 46 Ks they had in their season-opening series vs. Nebraska last year.
Purdue returns to action Friday when it begins another four-game neutral-site series, taking on Princeton at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
The Boilermakers (4-0) completed the sweep of the season-opening four-game series. Purdue scored 40 runs on the weekend, reaching the double-figure mark in three consecutive games for the first time since May 2012.
But South Dakota State (0-4) outscored the Boilermakers 6-2 after Purdue opened up an 8-1 lead. Kyle Wade and Griffin Lohman recorded some key outs to prevent the Jackrabbits from capitalizing on having the tying run in scoring position. The Boilermakers led 8-6 when Wade stranded the bases loaded in the sixth inning. Their lead was 9-7 when Lohman finished off the top of the eighth with a strikeout, with SDSU stranding the bases loaded for the third time on the day.
Wade did not surrender an earned run over 3 1/3 innings of relief, striking out four vs. one walk. Eric Hildebrand induced a 6-4-3 double play in the ninth inning to erase a leadoff single, earning his first save as a Boilermaker. Wade was one of four relievers to work at least three innings in the series. That quartet accounted for 15 2/3 innings of two-run ball.
THE LAST TIME
• Purdue opened a season 4-0: 2018 (5-0)
• Purdue swept a traditional non-conference series: February 2018 vs. Western Michigan (3 games)
• Purdue swept a traditional four-game series: March 2017 at Santa Clara
• Purdue enjoyed a 4-0 weekend: April 2021 vs. Michigan State and Illinois in Champaign
Jake Stadler and Evan Albrecht each created an insurance run with their baserunning. Both runs went on the board after SDSU had scored in the top half of the frame. In the sixth, Stadler moved into third base with one out via a pair of ball-in-dirt reads. Mike Bolton Jr. was robbed of likely a triple on a leaping catch by left fielder Jess Bellows, but Bolton drove the ball plenty deep to allow Stadler to trot home. Albrecht was in motion from first base when a 58-foot fastball skipped by the SDSU catcher. Albrecht never broke stride and motored into third base, where he did not stay long after the throw got away down the left field line.
Bolton (.579), Paul Toetz (.529) and Thompson (.500) all finished the series with on-base percentages of .500 or better. While hitting in the top half of the lineup, they reached base safely a combined 28 times. Curtis Washington Jr. and Bolton both scored seven times, including on Thompson's three-run double down the left field line in the first inning.
Albrecht went deep to left field to cap the scoring in the first inning, connecting for his first home run in his 285th career at-bat as a Boilermaker. Purdue also scored eight times in the seventh inning of game 3 of the series.
The Boilermakers racked up 44 strikeouts in 36 innings in the series, a total that ranks second to only the 46 Ks they had in their season-opening series vs. Nebraska last year.
Purdue returns to action Friday when it begins another four-game neutral-site series, taking on Princeton at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
| MOST STRIKEOUTS IN A 4-GAME SERIES/WEEKEND (SINCE 2001) | |||||
| Year | Opponent(s) | Strikeouts | Innings | K/9 | Results |
| 2021 | vs Nebraska | 46 | 32 | 12.94 | Lost 3 of 4 |
| 2022 | vs South Dakota St. | 44 | 36 | 11.00 | Won All 4 |
| 2006 | Northwestern | 41 | 32 | 11.53 | Split 2-2 |
| 2021 | vs PSU / at MSU | 39 | 35 | 10.03 | Split 2-2 |
| 2017 | at Santa Clara | 35 | 36 | 8.75 | Won All 4 |
| 2021 | vs MSU / at ILL | 33 | 38 | 7.82 | Won All 4 |
| 2017 | at Texas State | 33 | 34 2/3 | 8.57 | Split 2-2 |
| 2011 | at Morehead State | 32 | 35 2/3 | 8.07 | Won 3 of 4 |
| 2020 | vs Hofstra | 31 | 36 | 7.75 | Won 3 of 4 |
| 2019 | at Texas | 31 | 33 | 8.45 | Lost 3 of 4 |
| 2004 | Michigan State | 31 | 32 | 8.72 | Won 3 of 4 |
| 2007 | Iowa | 30 | 32 | 8.44 | Split 2-2 |