OXFORD, Miss. – Paul Toetz connected for a three-run blast for his eighth home run in 14 games and Purdue baseball scored twice in the eighth to extend the game into extra innings, but No. 4 Ole Miss emerged victorious, 7-6, on a leadoff homer in the 10th inning Saturday.
As the Rebels' cleanup hitter, Kemp Alderman hit his second home run of the day on a 3-1 pitch in the bottom of the 10th – an opposite-field line drive into the right field bullpen. The outfielder finished with five RBI for the second day in a row.
The Boilermakers (8-6) lost in walk-off fashion for the first time since an 11-inning defeat at Illinois State on St. Patrick's Day last season.
Aaron Suval battled back from a 3-0 count to retire the Rebels' No. 3 hitter with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning, inducing a ground ball to second base. He gave Purdue another strong outing in long relief, working 3 2/3 innings of two-hit ball. The only run he surrendered came on a solo homer.
Jo Stevens connected for a home run to left field in the eighth inning, making it a one-run game while extending his team-best hit streak to 10 consecutive games.
Cam Thompson scored twice on the day, demonstrating some excellent base running in both the second and eighth innings. Thompson scored the tying run with two outs in the eighth inning, coming around all the way from first base when the Ole Miss (13-2) third baseman threw the ball away after a double clutch on a slow chopper near the bag.
Thompson was on second base when head coach Greg Goff called for a hit and run with Couper Cornblum at the plate. Thompson jumped over the ball hit in the hole and came around to score, making it an RBI single for Cornblum. Two batters later, Toetz barreled up a high fastball for an opposite-field shot into the right field bullpen. Toetz has 23 RBI in the Boilermakers' 14 games.
Jonathan Blackwell gave Purdue five innings for the fourth consecutive weekend, limiting a loaded Ole Miss lineup that scored 15 runs Friday to five runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. He successfully pitched to contact, finishing the day with just one walk and one strikeout. Alderman got him for a two-run single in the first inning and two-run homer in the third, but Goff left Blackwell in the game to face the big slugger for a third time with a runner on in the fifth. Blackwell responded by inducing an inning-ending pop out.
Toetz made a slick play at second base to finish off a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth, helping Blackwell and Suval combine for a nine-pitch frame.
Evan Albrecht walked in his first plate appearance of the day to extend his on-base streak to 17 consecutive games dating back to last season. Jake Jarvis has a seven-game on-base streak and Toetz is riding a six-game hit streak.
Sunday's series finale is slated for a 2:30 p.m. ET first pitch.
As the Rebels' cleanup hitter, Kemp Alderman hit his second home run of the day on a 3-1 pitch in the bottom of the 10th – an opposite-field line drive into the right field bullpen. The outfielder finished with five RBI for the second day in a row.
The Boilermakers (8-6) lost in walk-off fashion for the first time since an 11-inning defeat at Illinois State on St. Patrick's Day last season.
Aaron Suval battled back from a 3-0 count to retire the Rebels' No. 3 hitter with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning, inducing a ground ball to second base. He gave Purdue another strong outing in long relief, working 3 2/3 innings of two-hit ball. The only run he surrendered came on a solo homer.
Jo Stevens connected for a home run to left field in the eighth inning, making it a one-run game while extending his team-best hit streak to 10 consecutive games.
Cam Thompson scored twice on the day, demonstrating some excellent base running in both the second and eighth innings. Thompson scored the tying run with two outs in the eighth inning, coming around all the way from first base when the Ole Miss (13-2) third baseman threw the ball away after a double clutch on a slow chopper near the bag.
Thompson was on second base when head coach Greg Goff called for a hit and run with Couper Cornblum at the plate. Thompson jumped over the ball hit in the hole and came around to score, making it an RBI single for Cornblum. Two batters later, Toetz barreled up a high fastball for an opposite-field shot into the right field bullpen. Toetz has 23 RBI in the Boilermakers' 14 games.
Jonathan Blackwell gave Purdue five innings for the fourth consecutive weekend, limiting a loaded Ole Miss lineup that scored 15 runs Friday to five runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. He successfully pitched to contact, finishing the day with just one walk and one strikeout. Alderman got him for a two-run single in the first inning and two-run homer in the third, but Goff left Blackwell in the game to face the big slugger for a third time with a runner on in the fifth. Blackwell responded by inducing an inning-ending pop out.
Toetz made a slick play at second base to finish off a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth, helping Blackwell and Suval combine for a nine-pitch frame.
Evan Albrecht walked in his first plate appearance of the day to extend his on-base streak to 17 consecutive games dating back to last season. Jake Jarvis has a seven-game on-base streak and Toetz is riding a six-game hit streak.
Sunday's series finale is slated for a 2:30 p.m. ET first pitch.