EAST LANSING, Mich. – Khal Stephen and Aaron Suval teamed up for 11 strikeouts and seven consecutive zeros, leading the way as Purdue baseball regrouped from a shaky start to overcome a four-run deficit and defeat Michigan State 5-4 in Friday's Big Ten opener.
The Boilermakers (10-10, 1-0 B1G) scored five unanswered runs after going down 4-0 in the bottom the second, scoring the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded hit by pitch in the ninth inning.
Purdue won its sixth straight Big Ten opener dating back to 2017 and improved to 8-1 in Big Ten openers since 2014. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers also won their fourth straight vs. MSU (11-8, 0-1 B1G) dating back to 2021 while ending the Spartans' six-game win streak.
Stephen struck out a career-high eight over six innings of four-run ball, matching the most strikeouts by a Purdue pitcher this season in his longest outing as a Boilermaker. After seven of MSU's first 11 batters of the game reached base safely against him, Stephen found a groove and went on to retire 14 of the final 16 batters he faced. The sophomore worked three consecutive 1-2-3 innings across the third, fourth and fifth while the Boilermakers rallied to tie the game.
Suval (3-1) retired nine of the 14 batters he faced over three innings of two-hit relief, setting down MSU's No. 4 and 5 hitters to close out the win with runners on first and second base. After a one-out double in the ninth, Purdue opted to intentionally walk 3-hole hitter Brock Vradenburg -- putting the winning run on base – and Suval did his part to assure the gamble paid off.
A leadoff single from Jake Jarvis in the ninth inning led to the go-ahead run. Couper Cornblum battled back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk against MSU closer Wyatt Rush, who had issued only one walk in 12 2/3 innings this season entering the day. Rush then mishandled a sacrifice bunt by Cam Thompson, loading the bases with no outs. Rush hit Jo Stevens in the back with the first pitch of the at-bat, forcing home Jarvis to give Purdue its first lead of the day.
The Boilermakers scored three times with two outs in the fifth inning to tie the game. Stevens drew a walk and the top of the lineup produced three straight singles. Mike Bolton Jr. beat out a bunt hit and Evan Albrecht followed with an RBI single to chase starter Joseph Dzierwa. Paul Toetz singled up the middle for his 32nd RBI (16th with two outs) and Albrecht scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
Connor Caskenette nearly hit a grand slam in the top of the fourth. His fly ball to the wall in left field turned into a sacrifice fly when Casey Mayes made the catch before crashing into the wall.
Albrecht extended his on-base streak to 23 consecutive games dating back to last season and now has a six-game hit streak as well. Bolton and Toetz are both riding 12-game on-base streaks. Cornblum has a seven-game on-base streak.
Game 2 of the series is slated for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET but a doubleheader Sunday is a possibility due to steady rain showers in the forecast for much of Saturday.
The Boilermakers (10-10, 1-0 B1G) scored five unanswered runs after going down 4-0 in the bottom the second, scoring the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded hit by pitch in the ninth inning.
Purdue won its sixth straight Big Ten opener dating back to 2017 and improved to 8-1 in Big Ten openers since 2014. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers also won their fourth straight vs. MSU (11-8, 0-1 B1G) dating back to 2021 while ending the Spartans' six-game win streak.
Stephen struck out a career-high eight over six innings of four-run ball, matching the most strikeouts by a Purdue pitcher this season in his longest outing as a Boilermaker. After seven of MSU's first 11 batters of the game reached base safely against him, Stephen found a groove and went on to retire 14 of the final 16 batters he faced. The sophomore worked three consecutive 1-2-3 innings across the third, fourth and fifth while the Boilermakers rallied to tie the game.
Suval (3-1) retired nine of the 14 batters he faced over three innings of two-hit relief, setting down MSU's No. 4 and 5 hitters to close out the win with runners on first and second base. After a one-out double in the ninth, Purdue opted to intentionally walk 3-hole hitter Brock Vradenburg -- putting the winning run on base – and Suval did his part to assure the gamble paid off.
A leadoff single from Jake Jarvis in the ninth inning led to the go-ahead run. Couper Cornblum battled back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk against MSU closer Wyatt Rush, who had issued only one walk in 12 2/3 innings this season entering the day. Rush then mishandled a sacrifice bunt by Cam Thompson, loading the bases with no outs. Rush hit Jo Stevens in the back with the first pitch of the at-bat, forcing home Jarvis to give Purdue its first lead of the day.
The Boilermakers scored three times with two outs in the fifth inning to tie the game. Stevens drew a walk and the top of the lineup produced three straight singles. Mike Bolton Jr. beat out a bunt hit and Evan Albrecht followed with an RBI single to chase starter Joseph Dzierwa. Paul Toetz singled up the middle for his 32nd RBI (16th with two outs) and Albrecht scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
Connor Caskenette nearly hit a grand slam in the top of the fourth. His fly ball to the wall in left field turned into a sacrifice fly when Casey Mayes made the catch before crashing into the wall.
Albrecht extended his on-base streak to 23 consecutive games dating back to last season and now has a six-game hit streak as well. Bolton and Toetz are both riding 12-game on-base streaks. Cornblum has a seven-game on-base streak.
Game 2 of the series is slated for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET but a doubleheader Sunday is a possibility due to steady rain showers in the forecast for much of Saturday.