EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Purdue baseball issued a season-high 10 walks and those base runners led to all five runs for Evansville as the Purple Aces took the series opener 5-2 Friday.
Paul Toetz drove in both of the Boilermakers' runs, increasing his Big Ten Conference-leading total to 29 in 17 games. But Purdue (9-8) was unable to bring the tying run to the plate after falling behind 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
Evansville (11-7) won its seventh straight game at home and was victorious for the 11th time in the last 13 games since starting the season 0-5. The Aces got a quality start from 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year Nick Smith, who issued only one walk over six innings of three-hit ball.
On a cold and windy day, Aaron Suval walked six of the 19 batters he faced as he labored through three-plus innings in his first start of the season. He walked the bases loaded in the first inning and Brendan Hord cashed in for UE with a two-out, two-run single on a full count pitch. Kip Fougerousse followed with another run-scoring hit.
Toetz drove in runs with an RBI single in the first inning and RBI ground out in the top of the third. Couper Cornblum scored the game's first run after stealing his Big Ten-leading 13th base of the season. Evan Albrecht extended his on-base streak to 20 consecutive games with a leadoff single in the third inning and scored on Toetz's RBI ground out.
Jo Stevens turned a timely 5-2 double play with the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth inning. The Aces had already scored twice in the frame when Stevens turned a chopper near the third base bag into the twin killing, stepping on the base and teaming up with Jake Stadler to cut down the runner at the plate.
Jake Parr and Connor Caskenette each connected for an opposite-field double in consecutive innings late in the game, but the Boilermakers were unable to capitalize on the extra-base hits.
Davis Pratt posted a pair of zeros while pitching three innings of two-hit ball. But similar to Suval, he issued free passes to four of the first seven batters he faced. Cal Lambert worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Evansville-area native CJ Backer stranded runners at second and third while posting a zero the following frame.
Stevens' 12-game hit streak came to an end Friday with an 0-for-4. He flew out to end the game.
Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.
Paul Toetz drove in both of the Boilermakers' runs, increasing his Big Ten Conference-leading total to 29 in 17 games. But Purdue (9-8) was unable to bring the tying run to the plate after falling behind 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
Evansville (11-7) won its seventh straight game at home and was victorious for the 11th time in the last 13 games since starting the season 0-5. The Aces got a quality start from 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year Nick Smith, who issued only one walk over six innings of three-hit ball.
On a cold and windy day, Aaron Suval walked six of the 19 batters he faced as he labored through three-plus innings in his first start of the season. He walked the bases loaded in the first inning and Brendan Hord cashed in for UE with a two-out, two-run single on a full count pitch. Kip Fougerousse followed with another run-scoring hit.
Toetz drove in runs with an RBI single in the first inning and RBI ground out in the top of the third. Couper Cornblum scored the game's first run after stealing his Big Ten-leading 13th base of the season. Evan Albrecht extended his on-base streak to 20 consecutive games with a leadoff single in the third inning and scored on Toetz's RBI ground out.
Jo Stevens turned a timely 5-2 double play with the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth inning. The Aces had already scored twice in the frame when Stevens turned a chopper near the third base bag into the twin killing, stepping on the base and teaming up with Jake Stadler to cut down the runner at the plate.
Jake Parr and Connor Caskenette each connected for an opposite-field double in consecutive innings late in the game, but the Boilermakers were unable to capitalize on the extra-base hits.
Davis Pratt posted a pair of zeros while pitching three innings of two-hit ball. But similar to Suval, he issued free passes to four of the first seven batters he faced. Cal Lambert worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Evansville-area native CJ Backer stranded runners at second and third while posting a zero the following frame.
Stevens' 12-game hit streak came to an end Friday with an 0-for-4. He flew out to end the game.
Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.