HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. – A big inning early in both games and a complete game one-hitter from Kyle Iwinski in the nightcap propelled Purdue baseball to a decisive doubleheader sweep of Akron on Saturday at Ting Stadium.
The Boilermakers (7-4) erupted for 30 runs on the day, winning 17-9 in game 1 and 13-0 in seven innings in the nightcap. Purdue scored nine times in the third inning of the game 1 and eight times in the first inning of game 2.
Iwinski needed only 78 pitches to roll through seven shutout innings in his first start as a Boilermaker. He struck out eight and retired 21 of the 22 batters he faced, surrendering only a leadoff single to the Zips' cleanup hitter in the fifth inning.
OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS
• First-team All-Big Ten performer CJ Valdez returned to the starting lineup for the first time this season and finished the day with four doubles.
• Highlighted by his second multi-homer game and second six-RBI effort of the season in game 1, Paul Toetz was 4-for-9 with seven RBI on the day.
• Evan Albrecht reached base safely in seven of his eight plate appearances, going 4-for-4 in game 1 before being lifted to open the sixth inning with Purdue leading 14-4. Albrecht had four hits in a game for the second time as a Boilermaker. He's riding 14-game on-base streak dating back to the end of last season.
• Jake Parr connected for a grand slam in the first inning of the nightcap, hitting his second slam as a Boilermaker.
• With an RBI single in both long innings, Jo Stevens extended his hitting streak to seven consecutive games.
SATURDAY'S UNIQUE FEATS
• The Boilermakers won in shutout fashion away from Alexander Field for the first time since February 2019 at Texas.
• Iwinski pitched Purdue's first complete game since Tanner Andrews in the opening round of the 2018 Big Ten Tournament. Andrews also accounted for the last complete-game shutout, in March 2017 at Southeast Missouri State.
• Toetz is the first Boilermaker since Dan Black in 2008 with a pair of six-RBI games in a season. He's also just the seventh Purdue hitter since 2001 with a pair of five-RBI games in a season (Black did it in both 2008 and 2009). Valdez also accomplished the feat last year.
• Toetz is the first Boilermaker since Cameron Perkins in 2012 with a pair of multi-homer games in a season.
• Valdez accounted for the first three-double game by a Boilermaker since Owen Jansen in the 2019 season opener at Southern Miss.
• Parr hit Purdue's first grand slam since Miles Simington in May 2021 at Minnesota. Parr's other career slam also came in that series.
• The nine-run inning in game 1 was Purdue's second-most prolific frame under head coach Greg Goff (2020-present). Then in the nightcap, the Boilermakers posted their fifth inning with at least eight runs since 2020.
Jonathan Blackwell struck out eight over 5 1/3 innings in game 1 Saturday, matching his K total from last weekend's win vs. NJIT. Meanwhile, Iwinski has now pitched 14 1/3 innings of one-run ball, racking up 16 strikeouts vs. two walks over his first four appearances.
Keenan Taylor made his first start as a Boilermaker and doubled in his lone at-bat of the day in game 1. Taylor had to leave the contest in the top of the third inning after a collision with Kaito Hara at first base. Taylor jumped to catch a high throw and came down on Hara. Both players escaped serious injury, but Taylor is likely to be sidelined for the remainder of the weekend.
Mike Bolton Jr. hit a pinch-hit home run in game 1 and was not retired in his four plate appearances on the day. Bolton joined Jake Jarvis as active Boilermakers with a pinch-hit homer.
Of the 26 combined runs in game 1, 12 were scored in the third inning. The Boilermakers went on to score in six of the eight innings in which they batted, en route to a season-high total.
Purdue stole eight bases Saturday and is a perfect 15-for-15 on stolen bases for the series.
Sunday's series finale is set for a 1 p.m. ET first pitch.
The Boilermakers (7-4) erupted for 30 runs on the day, winning 17-9 in game 1 and 13-0 in seven innings in the nightcap. Purdue scored nine times in the third inning of the game 1 and eight times in the first inning of game 2.
Iwinski needed only 78 pitches to roll through seven shutout innings in his first start as a Boilermaker. He struck out eight and retired 21 of the 22 batters he faced, surrendering only a leadoff single to the Zips' cleanup hitter in the fifth inning.
OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS
• First-team All-Big Ten performer CJ Valdez returned to the starting lineup for the first time this season and finished the day with four doubles.
• Highlighted by his second multi-homer game and second six-RBI effort of the season in game 1, Paul Toetz was 4-for-9 with seven RBI on the day.
• Evan Albrecht reached base safely in seven of his eight plate appearances, going 4-for-4 in game 1 before being lifted to open the sixth inning with Purdue leading 14-4. Albrecht had four hits in a game for the second time as a Boilermaker. He's riding 14-game on-base streak dating back to the end of last season.
• Jake Parr connected for a grand slam in the first inning of the nightcap, hitting his second slam as a Boilermaker.
• With an RBI single in both long innings, Jo Stevens extended his hitting streak to seven consecutive games.
SATURDAY'S UNIQUE FEATS
• The Boilermakers won in shutout fashion away from Alexander Field for the first time since February 2019 at Texas.
• Iwinski pitched Purdue's first complete game since Tanner Andrews in the opening round of the 2018 Big Ten Tournament. Andrews also accounted for the last complete-game shutout, in March 2017 at Southeast Missouri State.
• Toetz is the first Boilermaker since Dan Black in 2008 with a pair of six-RBI games in a season. He's also just the seventh Purdue hitter since 2001 with a pair of five-RBI games in a season (Black did it in both 2008 and 2009). Valdez also accomplished the feat last year.
• Toetz is the first Boilermaker since Cameron Perkins in 2012 with a pair of multi-homer games in a season.
• Valdez accounted for the first three-double game by a Boilermaker since Owen Jansen in the 2019 season opener at Southern Miss.
• Parr hit Purdue's first grand slam since Miles Simington in May 2021 at Minnesota. Parr's other career slam also came in that series.
• The nine-run inning in game 1 was Purdue's second-most prolific frame under head coach Greg Goff (2020-present). Then in the nightcap, the Boilermakers posted their fifth inning with at least eight runs since 2020.
Jonathan Blackwell struck out eight over 5 1/3 innings in game 1 Saturday, matching his K total from last weekend's win vs. NJIT. Meanwhile, Iwinski has now pitched 14 1/3 innings of one-run ball, racking up 16 strikeouts vs. two walks over his first four appearances.
Keenan Taylor made his first start as a Boilermaker and doubled in his lone at-bat of the day in game 1. Taylor had to leave the contest in the top of the third inning after a collision with Kaito Hara at first base. Taylor jumped to catch a high throw and came down on Hara. Both players escaped serious injury, but Taylor is likely to be sidelined for the remainder of the weekend.
Mike Bolton Jr. hit a pinch-hit home run in game 1 and was not retired in his four plate appearances on the day. Bolton joined Jake Jarvis as active Boilermakers with a pinch-hit homer.
Of the 26 combined runs in game 1, 12 were scored in the third inning. The Boilermakers went on to score in six of the eight innings in which they batted, en route to a season-high total.
Purdue stole eight bases Saturday and is a perfect 15-for-15 on stolen bases for the series.
Sunday's series finale is set for a 1 p.m. ET first pitch.