UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Down four after Penn State had scored six unanswered runs since the first inning, Purdue baseball put together an extended rally and had the tying run in scoring position in the top of the seventh but was unable to complete the comeback in a 7-5 rubber game loss Saturday.
Cam Thompson delivered a two-out RBI double in the seventh inning as part of two-hit, two-RBI day. He extended his on-base streak to 31 consecutive games and continues to lead the Big Ten with 47 RBI.
CJ Valdez scored from first base on Thompson's double after delivering an RBI single moments later, extending his on-base streak to 28 consecutive games.
The Boilermakers (22-9, 4-6 B1G) scored twice without the luxury of a hit in the first inning but were otherwise quiet offensively until Penn State (14-19, 5-7 B1G) went to the bullpen to begin the seventh inning. Starter Travis Luensemann (2-2) and veteran reliever Mason Mellott teamed up for 8 1/3 innings of four-hit ball, accounting for 10 of the 11 strikeouts. Mellott retired the final seven batters of the game after issuing a walk to load the bases in the seventh.
Josh Spiegel went 4-for-5 with four RBI in the 3-hole for the Nittany Lions. He delivered a two-run double to quickly tie the score in the bottom of the first after Purdue had scored multiple runs in the first inning for the sixth time in the last seven games. Spiegel's two-run single in the bottom of the fifth broke the 2-2 tie.
Troy Wansing (2-2) regrouped after surrendering the double to Spiegel, retiring 12 of the next 14 batters he faced. The freshman struck out six. But consecutive singles to open the fifth, including a leadoff hit from the 9-hole batter, brought Wansing's day to an end.
Mike Bolton Jr. ignited the seventh-inning rally with a hustle double to right field. Curtis Washington Jr. followed with an infield single to extend his on-base streak to 19 consecutive games. Bolton scored on a balk and Washington came home on Valdez's RBI single. A base hit from Evan Albrecht, the 100th of his Purdue career, kept the rally alive before Mellott delivered a key strikeout to end the threat.
Consecutive singles by Albrecht and Troy Viola in the top of the sixth also put the tying run on base for the Boilermakers. Right fielder Billy Gerlott made a sliding catch on the foul line to end the inning. Albrecht extended his on-base streak to 23 consecutive games and has hit safely in each of the first 10 Big Ten games of the season. Viola is now riding a team-best 10-game hit streak to go along with a 12-game on-base streak.
Viola and Albrecht also impressived defensively on the left side of the infield throughout the day. At third base, Viola speared a line drive in the third inning and made a barehand pick to squash a bunt attempt to open the bottom of the sixth. Albrecht made a nice play up the middle to prevent a two-out RBI single in in the first inning. He made two more nifty plays at shortstop in the seventh.
Khal Stephen retired all six batters he faced over two hitless innings of relief. The freshman worked 4 2/3 innings of two-hit relief over two appearances in the series.
Washington stole his Big Ten-leading 21st base of the season, remaining perfect at 21 of 21. Purdue was 12 of 12 on stolen base attempts in the series.
The Boilermakers are back in action Tuesday for a midweek rematch with UIC. First pitch in Chicago is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
Cam Thompson delivered a two-out RBI double in the seventh inning as part of two-hit, two-RBI day. He extended his on-base streak to 31 consecutive games and continues to lead the Big Ten with 47 RBI.
CJ Valdez scored from first base on Thompson's double after delivering an RBI single moments later, extending his on-base streak to 28 consecutive games.
The Boilermakers (22-9, 4-6 B1G) scored twice without the luxury of a hit in the first inning but were otherwise quiet offensively until Penn State (14-19, 5-7 B1G) went to the bullpen to begin the seventh inning. Starter Travis Luensemann (2-2) and veteran reliever Mason Mellott teamed up for 8 1/3 innings of four-hit ball, accounting for 10 of the 11 strikeouts. Mellott retired the final seven batters of the game after issuing a walk to load the bases in the seventh.
Josh Spiegel went 4-for-5 with four RBI in the 3-hole for the Nittany Lions. He delivered a two-run double to quickly tie the score in the bottom of the first after Purdue had scored multiple runs in the first inning for the sixth time in the last seven games. Spiegel's two-run single in the bottom of the fifth broke the 2-2 tie.
Troy Wansing (2-2) regrouped after surrendering the double to Spiegel, retiring 12 of the next 14 batters he faced. The freshman struck out six. But consecutive singles to open the fifth, including a leadoff hit from the 9-hole batter, brought Wansing's day to an end.
Mike Bolton Jr. ignited the seventh-inning rally with a hustle double to right field. Curtis Washington Jr. followed with an infield single to extend his on-base streak to 19 consecutive games. Bolton scored on a balk and Washington came home on Valdez's RBI single. A base hit from Evan Albrecht, the 100th of his Purdue career, kept the rally alive before Mellott delivered a key strikeout to end the threat.
Consecutive singles by Albrecht and Troy Viola in the top of the sixth also put the tying run on base for the Boilermakers. Right fielder Billy Gerlott made a sliding catch on the foul line to end the inning. Albrecht extended his on-base streak to 23 consecutive games and has hit safely in each of the first 10 Big Ten games of the season. Viola is now riding a team-best 10-game hit streak to go along with a 12-game on-base streak.
Viola and Albrecht also impressived defensively on the left side of the infield throughout the day. At third base, Viola speared a line drive in the third inning and made a barehand pick to squash a bunt attempt to open the bottom of the sixth. Albrecht made a nice play up the middle to prevent a two-out RBI single in in the first inning. He made two more nifty plays at shortstop in the seventh.
Khal Stephen retired all six batters he faced over two hitless innings of relief. The freshman worked 4 2/3 innings of two-hit relief over two appearances in the series.
Washington stole his Big Ten-leading 21st base of the season, remaining perfect at 21 of 21. Purdue was 12 of 12 on stolen base attempts in the series.
The Boilermakers are back in action Tuesday for a midweek rematch with UIC. First pitch in Chicago is slated for 7 p.m. ET.