UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Troy Viola and Pablo Lanzarote each connected for an RBI double in a five-run first inning and Eric Hildebrand struck out five of the game's final eight batters to lead Purdue baseball to an 11-5 victory at Penn State on Friday, evening the three-game series.
Jackson Smeltz fanned seven while surrendering three earned over 6 1/3 innings, improving to 6-0 on the season. He put together his fourth quality start of the season and punched out at least seven for the sixth time in his nine outings.
The Boilermakers (22-8, 4-5 B1G) scored multiple runs in the first inning for the fifth time in the last six games. They also scored five-plus in a frame for the 10th this season.
FRIDAY NOTABLES
• Curtis Washington Jr. and Mike Bolton Jr. both stole their Big Ten-leading 20th bases of the season in the fifth inning. Purdue has two players with at least 20 steals for the first time since 1991.
• Cam Thompson singled and scored in the eighth inning, extending his on-base streak to 30 consecutive games. He's just the fourth Boilermaker in the last 20 years to post an on-base streak of at least 30 games. It remains the second-longest season-opening streak during that span.
• All nine Boilermakers in the game-opening batting order reached base safely, meaning six other players extended their on-base streaks of at least eight games. That group includes: CJ Valdez (27), Evan Albrecht (22), Washington (18), Troy Viola (11), Paul Toetz (9) and Pablo Lanzarote (8).
• Viola also extended his hit streak to nine consecutive games, matching Albrecht and Valdez for the longest on the team this season.
• Jackson Smeltz is the first Boilermaker to be 6-0 since Ross Learnard did it as an All-American reliever in 2017. Joe Haase and Robert Ramer were the last starters to feature 6-0 marks, doing so during the 2012 Big Ten Championship season. Both Haase and Ramer finished that season with only one loss.
• Eric Hildebrand's five strikeouts represented a career high. He's the seventh active Boilermaker to record at least five punchouts while fanning at least half the batters he faced.
Hildebrand issued a walk and hit a batter to load the bases in the seventh inning, allowing the tying run to come to the plate. But he responded by retiring PSU's No. 3 and 4 hitters to end the threat. The senior went on to work consecutive 1-2-3 innings, striking out the final two batters of both frames.
Purdue capitalized on consecutive errors by the Penn State second baseman in the first inning. After PSU (13-19, 4-6 B1G) failed to get an out on a potential 4-6-3 double play ball, Viola followed with an opposite-field, two-run double. Sam Franco's deep fly to right field went for a sacrifice fly and Lanzarote also doubled to right field.
The Boilermakers got into the Nittany Lions' bullpen by the third inning and extended their lead to 9-2 by the middle of the fifth. Purdue drew 10 free passes (7 walks, 3 HBP), with five of those runners either coming around to score or forcing in a run. Three more Boilermakers that reached on defensive miscues came around to score.
Smeltz dominated the three through six portion of the Penn State lineup to the tune of an 0-for-12 showing. He and Lanzarote teamed up for a strike 'em out throw 'em out double play to erase a leadoff single in the third inning. Smeltz struck out at least one batter in all seven innings he started.
With Purdue leading 5-2 and two runners aboard in the third inning, PSU starter Kellan Tulio (2-2) induced what seemed to be a tailor-made double play to shortstop. The Nittany Lions were only able to get an out at second. Consecutive walks followed to force in a run. Paul Toetz hit a slow roller up the first base line but was able to elude the tag of the first baseman while remaining in the box along the line. The umpires discussed the call but declined to change it, leading to the ejection of Penn State head coach Rob Cooper after he continued to argue the decision.
The rubber game of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
Jackson Smeltz fanned seven while surrendering three earned over 6 1/3 innings, improving to 6-0 on the season. He put together his fourth quality start of the season and punched out at least seven for the sixth time in his nine outings.
The Boilermakers (22-8, 4-5 B1G) scored multiple runs in the first inning for the fifth time in the last six games. They also scored five-plus in a frame for the 10th this season.
FRIDAY NOTABLES
• Curtis Washington Jr. and Mike Bolton Jr. both stole their Big Ten-leading 20th bases of the season in the fifth inning. Purdue has two players with at least 20 steals for the first time since 1991.
• Cam Thompson singled and scored in the eighth inning, extending his on-base streak to 30 consecutive games. He's just the fourth Boilermaker in the last 20 years to post an on-base streak of at least 30 games. It remains the second-longest season-opening streak during that span.
• All nine Boilermakers in the game-opening batting order reached base safely, meaning six other players extended their on-base streaks of at least eight games. That group includes: CJ Valdez (27), Evan Albrecht (22), Washington (18), Troy Viola (11), Paul Toetz (9) and Pablo Lanzarote (8).
• Viola also extended his hit streak to nine consecutive games, matching Albrecht and Valdez for the longest on the team this season.
• Jackson Smeltz is the first Boilermaker to be 6-0 since Ross Learnard did it as an All-American reliever in 2017. Joe Haase and Robert Ramer were the last starters to feature 6-0 marks, doing so during the 2012 Big Ten Championship season. Both Haase and Ramer finished that season with only one loss.
• Eric Hildebrand's five strikeouts represented a career high. He's the seventh active Boilermaker to record at least five punchouts while fanning at least half the batters he faced.
Hildebrand issued a walk and hit a batter to load the bases in the seventh inning, allowing the tying run to come to the plate. But he responded by retiring PSU's No. 3 and 4 hitters to end the threat. The senior went on to work consecutive 1-2-3 innings, striking out the final two batters of both frames.
Purdue capitalized on consecutive errors by the Penn State second baseman in the first inning. After PSU (13-19, 4-6 B1G) failed to get an out on a potential 4-6-3 double play ball, Viola followed with an opposite-field, two-run double. Sam Franco's deep fly to right field went for a sacrifice fly and Lanzarote also doubled to right field.
The Boilermakers got into the Nittany Lions' bullpen by the third inning and extended their lead to 9-2 by the middle of the fifth. Purdue drew 10 free passes (7 walks, 3 HBP), with five of those runners either coming around to score or forcing in a run. Three more Boilermakers that reached on defensive miscues came around to score.
Smeltz dominated the three through six portion of the Penn State lineup to the tune of an 0-for-12 showing. He and Lanzarote teamed up for a strike 'em out throw 'em out double play to erase a leadoff single in the third inning. Smeltz struck out at least one batter in all seven innings he started.
With Purdue leading 5-2 and two runners aboard in the third inning, PSU starter Kellan Tulio (2-2) induced what seemed to be a tailor-made double play to shortstop. The Nittany Lions were only able to get an out at second. Consecutive walks followed to force in a run. Paul Toetz hit a slow roller up the first base line but was able to elude the tag of the first baseman while remaining in the box along the line. The umpires discussed the call but declined to change it, leading to the ejection of Penn State head coach Rob Cooper after he continued to argue the decision.
The rubber game of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.