SUGAR LAND, Texas – Paul Toetz continued his hot start with another home run as part of a six-RBI game but it was Holy Cross that broke out offensively in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader split with Purdue baseball at Constellation Field.
The Boilermakers (2-1) won game 1 14-4 in seven innings after scoring in all seven frames. The Crusaders (1-2) blew open game 2 with a seven-run top of the ninth, taking the nightcap 12-3.
Toetz connected for a three-run double and a three-run homer to power Purdue's win. He became the first Boilermaker with a six-RBI game since Kyle Johnson in March 2016. The long home run to left field was his third of the weekend and fifth career in seven games at Constellation Field.
Jake Parr continued his hot start as well with two hits and two RBI in the win. Parr and Toetz both doubled in a four-run second inning that gave Purdue the lead for good.
Holy Cross scored twice in the first inning and never trailed in game 2. The Boilermakers appeared poised to flip the momentum in the late innings after Jo Stevens' two-out, two-run single cut their deficit to 5-3 in the seventh inning. But reliever Danny Macchiarola retired Purdue's 3-4-5 hitters in order in the bottom of the eighth followed by Holy Cross batting around in the ninth as the Boilermakers used four pitchers in the frame.
Newcomers Keenan Taylor and Stevens both hit their first home runs as Boilermakers on Saturday. Taylor joined Jake Jarvis as active Purdue players with a pinch-hit homer when he matched the shape and distance of Toetz's blast to deep left field in the fifth inning of game 1. Stevens' barreled up for a deep drive to left center in the third inning of the nightcap.
Aaron Suval and Cal Lambert put together solid relief outings in their debuts, highlighting Saturday's performances on the mound for the Boilermakers.
Suval earned the win in game 1 with four innings of two-hit ball, picking off two base runners – one at first base, one at second base – and inducing a pair of ground ball double plays. The only run he was charged with scored after he left the mound in the seventh inning. Lambert struck out five and did not issue a walk over 3 1/3 innings in the nightcap. The lefty became the first Boilermaker this season to strike out the side, doing so in order vs. the Crusaders' 3-4-5 hitters in the seventh inning.
Lambert retired nine consecutive batters at one point thanks in part to consecutive diving catches in left field from Camden Melvin. Fresh in the game after pinch hitting with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Melvin took away a pair of would-be bloop singles.
Earlier in the day, it was Melvin and Stevens connecting for consecutive two-out doubles that brought the 10-run rule into effect in the seventh inning.
Parr scored from first base on Stevens' two-out bloop single down the right field line in the seventh inning of the nightcap. Mike Bolton Jr. followed with a base hit to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but the Boilermakers were unable to complete the comeback. Purdue put its leadoff man aboard in just two of nine frames in the nightcap and did not record a hit with fewer than two outs until the seventh inning.
The four-game, season-opening series concludes Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
The Boilermakers (2-1) won game 1 14-4 in seven innings after scoring in all seven frames. The Crusaders (1-2) blew open game 2 with a seven-run top of the ninth, taking the nightcap 12-3.
Toetz connected for a three-run double and a three-run homer to power Purdue's win. He became the first Boilermaker with a six-RBI game since Kyle Johnson in March 2016. The long home run to left field was his third of the weekend and fifth career in seven games at Constellation Field.
Jake Parr continued his hot start as well with two hits and two RBI in the win. Parr and Toetz both doubled in a four-run second inning that gave Purdue the lead for good.
Holy Cross scored twice in the first inning and never trailed in game 2. The Boilermakers appeared poised to flip the momentum in the late innings after Jo Stevens' two-out, two-run single cut their deficit to 5-3 in the seventh inning. But reliever Danny Macchiarola retired Purdue's 3-4-5 hitters in order in the bottom of the eighth followed by Holy Cross batting around in the ninth as the Boilermakers used four pitchers in the frame.
Newcomers Keenan Taylor and Stevens both hit their first home runs as Boilermakers on Saturday. Taylor joined Jake Jarvis as active Purdue players with a pinch-hit homer when he matched the shape and distance of Toetz's blast to deep left field in the fifth inning of game 1. Stevens' barreled up for a deep drive to left center in the third inning of the nightcap.
Aaron Suval and Cal Lambert put together solid relief outings in their debuts, highlighting Saturday's performances on the mound for the Boilermakers.
Suval earned the win in game 1 with four innings of two-hit ball, picking off two base runners – one at first base, one at second base – and inducing a pair of ground ball double plays. The only run he was charged with scored after he left the mound in the seventh inning. Lambert struck out five and did not issue a walk over 3 1/3 innings in the nightcap. The lefty became the first Boilermaker this season to strike out the side, doing so in order vs. the Crusaders' 3-4-5 hitters in the seventh inning.
Lambert retired nine consecutive batters at one point thanks in part to consecutive diving catches in left field from Camden Melvin. Fresh in the game after pinch hitting with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Melvin took away a pair of would-be bloop singles.
Earlier in the day, it was Melvin and Stevens connecting for consecutive two-out doubles that brought the 10-run rule into effect in the seventh inning.
Parr scored from first base on Stevens' two-out bloop single down the right field line in the seventh inning of the nightcap. Mike Bolton Jr. followed with a base hit to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but the Boilermakers were unable to complete the comeback. Purdue put its leadoff man aboard in just two of nine frames in the nightcap and did not record a hit with fewer than two outs until the seventh inning.
The four-game, season-opening series concludes Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.