OXFORD, Miss. – Jake Jarvis hit a three-run homer and CJ Valdez homered as part of a three-hit night, but Purdue baseball could not come all the way back after facing an early nine-run deficit, dropping the series opener at No. 4 Ole Miss 15-7 Friday.
Down 9-0 entering the top of the fourth, the Boilermakers (8-5) were able to bring the potential go-ahead run to the plate as soon as the sixth inning. Jarvis hit a two-out, three-run homer in the fourth and Purdue scored three more runs in the sixth, eventually leaving the bases loaded.
CJ Backer gave the Boilermakers 10 timely outs in his best outing of the young season, striking out four over 3 1/3 innings of two-hit ball. That came on the heels of Ole Miss (12-2) batting around in each of the first two innings, scoring four times on four hits in both frames. Seven of those eight hits were singles, but the Rebels also capitalized on a pair of free passes in both frames. Kemp Alderman also hit his team-leading sixth homer, a three-run blast.
Paul Toetz and Valdez continued their hot hitting with multi-hit nights. They both singled in front of Jarvis' home run down the right field line in the fourth inning, his third of the season. They later doubled back-to-back in the sixth. For Valdez, it was his sixth double in a span of 15 at-bats since returning to the starting lineup last weekend. He also doubled in his first four starts of 2022.
Jo Stevens extended his team-best hitting streak to nine consecutive games with a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning. That hit chased starter Jack Dougherty. Cam Thompson scored moments later on a wild pitch.
TJ McCants helped swing the momentum back to the home team with a home run in the bottom of the sixth and then a highlight-reel diving catch down the right field line to rob Evan Albrecht of a potential leadoff triple in the bottom half of the frame. The play loomed larger when Valdez connected for a home run to left field later in the inning.
Mike Bolton Jr. was injured after a collision with the center field wall while trying to make a diving catch on Anthony Calarco's two-out, two-run double in bottom of the seventh. Bolton hit his head and right shoulder on the wall but was able to walk off the field under his own power. After the injury delay, McCants hit another home run to right field to account for the game's final margin.
Logan Danzeisen worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning on seven pitches in the ninth, aided by a slick play by Toetz at second base for the first out. He joined Backer as Boilermakers with a 1-2-3 inning on the night. Backer posted his in the bottom of the fourth during a stretch in which he retired nine of 11 batters.
Albrecht was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning to extend his on-base streak to 16 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Game 2 of the series Saturday has been moved up to a 1 p.m. ET first pitch.
Down 9-0 entering the top of the fourth, the Boilermakers (8-5) were able to bring the potential go-ahead run to the plate as soon as the sixth inning. Jarvis hit a two-out, three-run homer in the fourth and Purdue scored three more runs in the sixth, eventually leaving the bases loaded.
CJ Backer gave the Boilermakers 10 timely outs in his best outing of the young season, striking out four over 3 1/3 innings of two-hit ball. That came on the heels of Ole Miss (12-2) batting around in each of the first two innings, scoring four times on four hits in both frames. Seven of those eight hits were singles, but the Rebels also capitalized on a pair of free passes in both frames. Kemp Alderman also hit his team-leading sixth homer, a three-run blast.
Paul Toetz and Valdez continued their hot hitting with multi-hit nights. They both singled in front of Jarvis' home run down the right field line in the fourth inning, his third of the season. They later doubled back-to-back in the sixth. For Valdez, it was his sixth double in a span of 15 at-bats since returning to the starting lineup last weekend. He also doubled in his first four starts of 2022.
Jo Stevens extended his team-best hitting streak to nine consecutive games with a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning. That hit chased starter Jack Dougherty. Cam Thompson scored moments later on a wild pitch.
TJ McCants helped swing the momentum back to the home team with a home run in the bottom of the sixth and then a highlight-reel diving catch down the right field line to rob Evan Albrecht of a potential leadoff triple in the bottom half of the frame. The play loomed larger when Valdez connected for a home run to left field later in the inning.
Mike Bolton Jr. was injured after a collision with the center field wall while trying to make a diving catch on Anthony Calarco's two-out, two-run double in bottom of the seventh. Bolton hit his head and right shoulder on the wall but was able to walk off the field under his own power. After the injury delay, McCants hit another home run to right field to account for the game's final margin.
Logan Danzeisen worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning on seven pitches in the ninth, aided by a slick play by Toetz at second base for the first out. He joined Backer as Boilermakers with a 1-2-3 inning on the night. Backer posted his in the bottom of the fourth during a stretch in which he retired nine of 11 batters.
Albrecht was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning to extend his on-base streak to 16 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Game 2 of the series Saturday has been moved up to a 1 p.m. ET first pitch.