EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Ty Gill's pinch-hit, two-run double highlighted a ninth-inning rally that saw Purdue baseball put the tying run in scoring position, but Evansville closed out a 6-4 final, winning thanks to a pair of two-run homers Sunday.
The Purple Aces (12-7) won their fifth straight game and eighth straight at home, improving to 12-2 since an 0-5 start. The Boilermakers (9-9) lost for the fifth time in the last six games, all five defeats coming on the road.
Evansville's Donovan Schultz struck out eight over six shutout innings of four-hit ball, all singles. He did not issue a walk, extending his streak to 19 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Purdue scored four times over three innings against the UE bullpen, capitalizing on four walks, a hit batsman and two balls in play dropped by outfielders that went for hits.
Eric Roberts and Kip Fougerousse connected for the two-run homers. Fougerousse's two-run shot to center field in the eighth inning – after a sun ball dropped safely in the outfield to begin the inning – proved to be the difference in the game. Roberts went deep with two outs in the bottom of the third.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases via free passes with two outs in the ninth inning. Gill was sent up to pinch hit and delivered an opposite-field line drive that hit the foul line down the left field line. The big hit cut Purdue's deficit in half and put Gill on second base representing the tying run. But Nate Hardman was able to retire Evan Albrecht on a fly ball to center field to end the game.
Jake Jarvis ignited a pair of rallies and came around to score both times. He connected for a pinch-hit triple to the warning track in center field in the seventh inning, scoring on an RBI ground out from Jake Parr. Connor Caskenette delivered a two-out RBI single later in the inning. Caskenette had two hits and a walk Sunday. He's reached base safely in 13 of his last 20 plate appearances since March 5.
Jarvis, Caskenette and Mike Bolton Jr. all reached base in front of Gill's double in the ninth inning.
Jonathan Blackwell struck out seven over five innings of three-run ball. Like Schultz (3-1), he did not issue a walk. Blackwell (2-1) has struck out at least seven in three of his last four starts. The lefty fanned four his first time through the lineup and also registered Purdue's 10th pickoff of the season, erasing a two-out single in the second inning.
Kyle Iwinski went through UE's 3-4-5 hitters in 1-2-3 fashion in the sixth inning and escaped a bases-loaded jam to limit the Aces to a single run the following frame. Blackwell and Iwinski issued only one walk Sunday after the Boilermakers had a season-high 10 walks in Friday's loss.
Albrecht singled in the sixth and eighth innings to extend his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games dating back to the end of last season. Trailing 4-2 in the top of the eighth, Purdue had two on with one out, but UE reliever Jakob Meyer rolled up an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play ball to post a zero.
Paul Toetz and Bolton extended their on-base streaks to 10 consecutive games each.
The Boilermakers will host Evansville April 4 at Alexander Field to conclude the season series. Purdue is back in action Tuesday when it hosts UIC for a 4 p.m. ET first pitch.
The Purple Aces (12-7) won their fifth straight game and eighth straight at home, improving to 12-2 since an 0-5 start. The Boilermakers (9-9) lost for the fifth time in the last six games, all five defeats coming on the road.
Evansville's Donovan Schultz struck out eight over six shutout innings of four-hit ball, all singles. He did not issue a walk, extending his streak to 19 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Purdue scored four times over three innings against the UE bullpen, capitalizing on four walks, a hit batsman and two balls in play dropped by outfielders that went for hits.
Eric Roberts and Kip Fougerousse connected for the two-run homers. Fougerousse's two-run shot to center field in the eighth inning – after a sun ball dropped safely in the outfield to begin the inning – proved to be the difference in the game. Roberts went deep with two outs in the bottom of the third.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases via free passes with two outs in the ninth inning. Gill was sent up to pinch hit and delivered an opposite-field line drive that hit the foul line down the left field line. The big hit cut Purdue's deficit in half and put Gill on second base representing the tying run. But Nate Hardman was able to retire Evan Albrecht on a fly ball to center field to end the game.
Jake Jarvis ignited a pair of rallies and came around to score both times. He connected for a pinch-hit triple to the warning track in center field in the seventh inning, scoring on an RBI ground out from Jake Parr. Connor Caskenette delivered a two-out RBI single later in the inning. Caskenette had two hits and a walk Sunday. He's reached base safely in 13 of his last 20 plate appearances since March 5.
Jarvis, Caskenette and Mike Bolton Jr. all reached base in front of Gill's double in the ninth inning.
Jonathan Blackwell struck out seven over five innings of three-run ball. Like Schultz (3-1), he did not issue a walk. Blackwell (2-1) has struck out at least seven in three of his last four starts. The lefty fanned four his first time through the lineup and also registered Purdue's 10th pickoff of the season, erasing a two-out single in the second inning.
Kyle Iwinski went through UE's 3-4-5 hitters in 1-2-3 fashion in the sixth inning and escaped a bases-loaded jam to limit the Aces to a single run the following frame. Blackwell and Iwinski issued only one walk Sunday after the Boilermakers had a season-high 10 walks in Friday's loss.
Albrecht singled in the sixth and eighth innings to extend his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games dating back to the end of last season. Trailing 4-2 in the top of the eighth, Purdue had two on with one out, but UE reliever Jakob Meyer rolled up an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play ball to post a zero.
Paul Toetz and Bolton extended their on-base streaks to 10 consecutive games each.
The Boilermakers will host Evansville April 4 at Alexander Field to conclude the season series. Purdue is back in action Tuesday when it hosts UIC for a 4 p.m. ET first pitch.