CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A pair of multi-run innings gave No. 16 Purdue baseball a 5-2 lead at the game's midpoint, but Illinois posted a seven-run frame for the second time on the weekend to rally for an 11-8 victory in the finale of the three-game series.
The Fighting Illini (13-12, 5-1 B1G) sent 11 men to the plate in the sixth inning, which was ignited by consecutive walks to the 8- and 9-hole hitters. The top half of the lineup then came through with five consecutive productive plate appearances, including a pair of hits that each plated a pair of runs.
At the bottom of the lineup, Brody Harding and Cal Hejza drew a combined five walks in the game and reached safely in seven of their 10 plate appearances. The Boilermakers (18-5, 1-3 B1G) used three pitchers in the sixth inning and seven in the game.
Mike Bolton Jr. hit his first collegiate home run, an opposite-field shot to left on the first pitch of the third inning. It was the first of his three hits. He was one of six Purdue hitters to reach base safely three times.
Paul Toetz singled three times, delivering RBI hits in both the third and fifth innings when the Boilermakers scored their first five runs to build their first lead of the series.
Cam Thompson homered for the second time in the series while also producing a three-hit effort, extending his on-base streak to 23 consecutive games. Evan Albrecht delivered a two-out RBI double while also getting hit by a pitch twice. The senior extended his on-base streak to 15 games and hit streak to eight games. Albrecht continues to lead the Big Ten with a .427 batting average.
Thompson, Albrecht and Bolton helped Purdue bring the tying run to the plate with a three-run rally in the ninth inning. But the game ended on the next pitch.
The Boilermakers did a respectable job of preventing the big inning over the first five frames. Illinois had its leadoff man reach in four of the five innings, but he only came around to score in the bottom of the third. Troy Wansing induced an inning-ending double play with runners on the corners in the first inning, stranded the bases loaded the following frame and again limited the damage to a single run in third. Ricky Castro followed suit in the fourth and fifth innings, before the dam finally broke the third time through the Fighting Illini lineup.
CJ Valdez was hit by a pitch in the first inning to extend his on-base streak to 20 consecutive games. The Boilermakers have had three players – Bolton, Thompson, Valdez – register a 20-game on-base streak in the same season for the first time since 2018. Curtis Washington Jr.'s single in the third inning kept his on-base streak alive at 11 straight games.
Purdue's bullpen was charged with 33 runs on 33 hits and 16 walks over 20 2/3 innings in the team's four losses this week.
The Boilermakers return to action Tuesday when they host Northern Illinois at 4 p.m. ET.
The Fighting Illini (13-12, 5-1 B1G) sent 11 men to the plate in the sixth inning, which was ignited by consecutive walks to the 8- and 9-hole hitters. The top half of the lineup then came through with five consecutive productive plate appearances, including a pair of hits that each plated a pair of runs.
At the bottom of the lineup, Brody Harding and Cal Hejza drew a combined five walks in the game and reached safely in seven of their 10 plate appearances. The Boilermakers (18-5, 1-3 B1G) used three pitchers in the sixth inning and seven in the game.
Mike Bolton Jr. hit his first collegiate home run, an opposite-field shot to left on the first pitch of the third inning. It was the first of his three hits. He was one of six Purdue hitters to reach base safely three times.
Paul Toetz singled three times, delivering RBI hits in both the third and fifth innings when the Boilermakers scored their first five runs to build their first lead of the series.
Cam Thompson homered for the second time in the series while also producing a three-hit effort, extending his on-base streak to 23 consecutive games. Evan Albrecht delivered a two-out RBI double while also getting hit by a pitch twice. The senior extended his on-base streak to 15 games and hit streak to eight games. Albrecht continues to lead the Big Ten with a .427 batting average.
Thompson, Albrecht and Bolton helped Purdue bring the tying run to the plate with a three-run rally in the ninth inning. But the game ended on the next pitch.
The Boilermakers did a respectable job of preventing the big inning over the first five frames. Illinois had its leadoff man reach in four of the five innings, but he only came around to score in the bottom of the third. Troy Wansing induced an inning-ending double play with runners on the corners in the first inning, stranded the bases loaded the following frame and again limited the damage to a single run in third. Ricky Castro followed suit in the fourth and fifth innings, before the dam finally broke the third time through the Fighting Illini lineup.
CJ Valdez was hit by a pitch in the first inning to extend his on-base streak to 20 consecutive games. The Boilermakers have had three players – Bolton, Thompson, Valdez – register a 20-game on-base streak in the same season for the first time since 2018. Curtis Washington Jr.'s single in the third inning kept his on-base streak alive at 11 straight games.
Purdue's bullpen was charged with 33 runs on 33 hits and 16 walks over 20 2/3 innings in the team's four losses this week.
The Boilermakers return to action Tuesday when they host Northern Illinois at 4 p.m. ET.