HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. – Purdue baseball rallied back from a three-run deficit to win for the fifth time in walk-off fashion in a year's time at Ting Stadium, highlighting a series-opening doubleheader split with NJIT on Friday to begin weekend No. 2 of the season.
The Boilermakers (4-2) won game 1 6-5 with a run in the bottom of the ninth. But the Highlanders (3-2) led wire-to-wire to take the nightcap 5-1.
Paul Toetz and Jake Parr teamed up for the game-winning run in the ninth inning, Purdue's seventh walk-off win dating back to Feb. 25, 2022. Toetz scored on a close play at the plate on Parr's sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth. The Boilermakers had trailed 5-2 entering the bottom of the fifth.
The Boilermakers won their 14th consecutive game played in North Carolina before the streak was finally snapped in the nightcap. The streak dated back to March 2019; eight of the wins came at Ting Stadium, with five of those in walk-off fashion.
NJIT's two lefthanders – Aidan Kidd (5 IP, 9 K) and Holden de Jong (4 IP, 6 K) – limited Purdue to three hits while combing for 15 strikeouts in game 2. The Boilermakers brought the tying run to the plate in the fifth inning but had just one base runner the remainder of the night.
The four-game series continues Saturday. First pitch is now officially set for 6 p.m. ET.
BIG HITS
• Evan Albrecht opened the day's scoring with a two-out, two-run single in the second inning of game 1 after a pair of errors extended the frame.
• The Boilermakers came through with three straight two-out knocks in the fifth inning of game 1 after NJIT had surged ahead in the top of the frame. Jake Jarvis and Jo Stevens delivered RBI singles.
• Mike Bolton Jr.'s leadoff triple in the sixth inning of game 1 led to the tying run. Down 0-2 in the count, Cornblum delivered a base hit up the middle to drive in the run. Cornblum finished the day with four hits, including three in game 1. He ignited the game-tying rally in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff single.
• Paul Toetz's one-out single led to the game-winning run in the ninth inning. Albrecht, Bolton and Toetz have reached base safely in each of the first six games to open the season.
BIG MOMENTS
• Aaron Suval induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play vs. Luke Longo with runners on the corners and one out in the seventh inning of game 1. The game was tied 5-5 at that juncture and Longo had gone deep in each of his last two at-bats.
• Suval went on to record five outs on his first six pitches of the game, earning the win in game 1 with 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief. He retired all seven batters he faced while throwing only 18 pitches.
• Cam Thompson snared a line drive behind the first base bag in the seventh inning of the nightcap to rob what was destined to be a two-out, two-run double.
• After walking six of the 13 batters he faced Sunday vs. Holy Cross, Davis Pratt was one of Purdue's most effective pitchers of the day with four innings of one-run ball in game 2. He issued just one walk over 16 batters faced. Pratt induced an inning-ending double play in the top of the third and pitched over a leadoff double in the following frame. He retired 10 of 11 batters during one stretch. It took consecutive one-out triples in the seventh inning for NJIT to score against him.
• Cal Lambert had another productive extended relief outing with 2 1/3 innings of one-run ball. The lone run he surrendered came on a solo homer.
• The Boilermakers picked off four base runners on the day and now have seven pickoffs over the first six games.
The Boilermakers (4-2) won game 1 6-5 with a run in the bottom of the ninth. But the Highlanders (3-2) led wire-to-wire to take the nightcap 5-1.
Paul Toetz and Jake Parr teamed up for the game-winning run in the ninth inning, Purdue's seventh walk-off win dating back to Feb. 25, 2022. Toetz scored on a close play at the plate on Parr's sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth. The Boilermakers had trailed 5-2 entering the bottom of the fifth.
The Boilermakers won their 14th consecutive game played in North Carolina before the streak was finally snapped in the nightcap. The streak dated back to March 2019; eight of the wins came at Ting Stadium, with five of those in walk-off fashion.
NJIT's two lefthanders – Aidan Kidd (5 IP, 9 K) and Holden de Jong (4 IP, 6 K) – limited Purdue to three hits while combing for 15 strikeouts in game 2. The Boilermakers brought the tying run to the plate in the fifth inning but had just one base runner the remainder of the night.
The four-game series continues Saturday. First pitch is now officially set for 6 p.m. ET.
BIG HITS
• Evan Albrecht opened the day's scoring with a two-out, two-run single in the second inning of game 1 after a pair of errors extended the frame.
• The Boilermakers came through with three straight two-out knocks in the fifth inning of game 1 after NJIT had surged ahead in the top of the frame. Jake Jarvis and Jo Stevens delivered RBI singles.
• Mike Bolton Jr.'s leadoff triple in the sixth inning of game 1 led to the tying run. Down 0-2 in the count, Cornblum delivered a base hit up the middle to drive in the run. Cornblum finished the day with four hits, including three in game 1. He ignited the game-tying rally in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff single.
• Paul Toetz's one-out single led to the game-winning run in the ninth inning. Albrecht, Bolton and Toetz have reached base safely in each of the first six games to open the season.
BIG MOMENTS
• Aaron Suval induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play vs. Luke Longo with runners on the corners and one out in the seventh inning of game 1. The game was tied 5-5 at that juncture and Longo had gone deep in each of his last two at-bats.
• Suval went on to record five outs on his first six pitches of the game, earning the win in game 1 with 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief. He retired all seven batters he faced while throwing only 18 pitches.
• Cam Thompson snared a line drive behind the first base bag in the seventh inning of the nightcap to rob what was destined to be a two-out, two-run double.
• After walking six of the 13 batters he faced Sunday vs. Holy Cross, Davis Pratt was one of Purdue's most effective pitchers of the day with four innings of one-run ball in game 2. He issued just one walk over 16 batters faced. Pratt induced an inning-ending double play in the top of the third and pitched over a leadoff double in the following frame. He retired 10 of 11 batters during one stretch. It took consecutive one-out triples in the seventh inning for NJIT to score against him.
• Cal Lambert had another productive extended relief outing with 2 1/3 innings of one-run ball. The lone run he surrendered came on a solo homer.
• The Boilermakers picked off four base runners on the day and now have seven pickoffs over the first six games.