WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A two-out error opened the door for a 12-run inning as Penn State blew open a one-run affair entering the top of the sixth and defeated Purdue baseball 15-3 in Friday's series opener at Alexander Field.
Due to rain in the forecast for Sunday, the teams will be play a doubleheader Saturday at 2 p.m. ET to conclude the series. One ticket is good for both/either game(s). Fans with tickets for Sunday can use the tickets Saturday or exchange them for general admission seats to any future home game this season.
The Nittany Lions (19-11, 2-5 B1G) sent 16 men to the plate in the sixth inning. The key error at shortstop occurred after a pitching change as the first batter CJ Backer faced. It came with the bases loaded and PSU leading 3-1. After a two-run single and a bases-loaded walk, Thomas Bramley hit a grand slam. Grant Norris later connected for a two-run homer, also going deep in his second at-bat of the inning.
The Nittany Lions accounted for the biggest inning at Alexander Field since Indiana State also scored a dozen runs in the eighth inning in April 2016. Penn State scored seven runs in the sixth inning Tuesday vs. West Virginia and has now won five straight games.
Remarkably, both teams finished with 14 hits. But PSU had a 7-1 advantage in walks, five coming in the long sixth inning. Six of those seven base runners that reached via the walk came around to score. Mike Bolton Jr. and Evan Albrecht both made excellent catches in left field, taking away hits from the Lions in the third and fifth innings.
Trailing 2-1, Stephen began his third time through the PSU lineup to open the sixth inning and ended up facing six batters in the frame. The Nittany Lions scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly and Stephen walked the next batter to load them up again. Backer got the call from the bullpen and induced a ground ball to shortstop, but it did not end the inning. Penn State scored 11 of its 12 runs in the frame with two outs.
Stephen surrendered only four hits over 5 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out four. He was one of four pitchers to take the mound for Purdue in the sixth inning. Carter Doorn was effective as the final pitcher of the night, working 3 1/3 innings of one-run relief after finally bringing the top of the sixth to a close. Doorn struck out four.
Jaden Henline stayed in the game and gave Penn State four more outs after he watched his teammates erupt for the big inning. With the three pitching changes, five walks and 16 total batters, the top of the sixth took approximately 40 minutes.
Couper Cornblum singled in three consecutive at-bats, driving in a run with a base hit in the seventh inning. Jake Parr had a pair of hits and an RBI, extending his hit streak to six consecutive games. Caskenette extended his on-base streak to 11 consecutive games with his RBI single.
Saturday will be Purdue's sixth doubleheader of the season and third over the first four weekends of Big Ten play. The Boilermakers are 5-5 in doubleheader action this year.
Due to rain in the forecast for Sunday, the teams will be play a doubleheader Saturday at 2 p.m. ET to conclude the series. One ticket is good for both/either game(s). Fans with tickets for Sunday can use the tickets Saturday or exchange them for general admission seats to any future home game this season.
The Nittany Lions (19-11, 2-5 B1G) sent 16 men to the plate in the sixth inning. The key error at shortstop occurred after a pitching change as the first batter CJ Backer faced. It came with the bases loaded and PSU leading 3-1. After a two-run single and a bases-loaded walk, Thomas Bramley hit a grand slam. Grant Norris later connected for a two-run homer, also going deep in his second at-bat of the inning.
The Nittany Lions accounted for the biggest inning at Alexander Field since Indiana State also scored a dozen runs in the eighth inning in April 2016. Penn State scored seven runs in the sixth inning Tuesday vs. West Virginia and has now won five straight games.
Remarkably, both teams finished with 14 hits. But PSU had a 7-1 advantage in walks, five coming in the long sixth inning. Six of those seven base runners that reached via the walk came around to score. Mike Bolton Jr. and Evan Albrecht both made excellent catches in left field, taking away hits from the Lions in the third and fifth innings.
Purdue (14-18, 5-5 B1G) scored first on a two-out RBI single by Connor Caskenette in the first inning. But it was a short-lived lead after PSU's Bobby Marsh connected for a two-out solo homer the following frame. Marsh was the only batter Khal Stephen did not retire through his first four innings.👀 Go Get It Bolt!!
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 14, 2023
Another 1-2-3 inning on the board for @KhalStephen.
💎 #BoilerUp x @Mike_Bolton01 ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Ic6mVHYCo2
Trailing 2-1, Stephen began his third time through the PSU lineup to open the sixth inning and ended up facing six batters in the frame. The Nittany Lions scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly and Stephen walked the next batter to load them up again. Backer got the call from the bullpen and induced a ground ball to shortstop, but it did not end the inning. Penn State scored 11 of its 12 runs in the frame with two outs.
Stephen surrendered only four hits over 5 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out four. He was one of four pitchers to take the mound for Purdue in the sixth inning. Carter Doorn was effective as the final pitcher of the night, working 3 1/3 innings of one-run relief after finally bringing the top of the sixth to a close. Doorn struck out four.
Jaden Henline stayed in the game and gave Penn State four more outs after he watched his teammates erupt for the big inning. With the three pitching changes, five walks and 16 total batters, the top of the sixth took approximately 40 minutes.
Couper Cornblum singled in three consecutive at-bats, driving in a run with a base hit in the seventh inning. Jake Parr had a pair of hits and an RBI, extending his hit streak to six consecutive games. Caskenette extended his on-base streak to 11 consecutive games with his RBI single.
Saturday will be Purdue's sixth doubleheader of the season and third over the first four weekends of Big Ten play. The Boilermakers are 5-5 in doubleheader action this year.
💎 @Evan_Albrecht also showing out in the sunshine
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 14, 2023
🚂 #BoilerUp x #DefenseLivesHere 🚫 pic.twitter.com/M2iW0bpQCY