WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Paul Toetz drove in four runs as part of a three-hit night and Mike Bolton Jr. scored four times as Purdue baseball rolled to a 16-9 win vs. Butler on Wednesday in the finale of a six-game homestand at Alexander Field.
The Boilermakers (18-18) won their fourth straight game, getting back to the .500 mark on the season for the first time since being 10-10 after winning their Big Ten opener on March 24.
Purdue connected for seven extra-base hits, including six doubles. Both totals represented season highs. The Boilermakers also racked up a season-high 11 walks, including six over the first three innings. Purdue's 16 runs were its most without hitting a home run since scoring 19 on 17 singles and three doubles at Western Kentucky in what proved to be the final game of abbreviated 2020 campaign.
Couper Cornblum doubled twice. Cam Thompson and Jo Stevens connected for consecutive RBI doubles down the right field line that were carbon copies of each other in a seven-run third inning.
Toetz had two hits in the bottom of the third. He led off with a single and connected for an opposite-field, three-run double in his second trip to the plate. Purdue scored seven-plus runs in an inning for the sixth time this season.
Bolton reached base safely five times (single, three walks, HBP) to raise his on-base percentage to a team-best .455. The leadoff man stole a career-high three bases and now has 67 steals for his career, three shy of the program record that has stood since 1991. Wednesday, Bolton became the first Boilermaker with 20 steals in consecutive seasons since Chris Walker in 1998 and 1999.
Zeros were tough to come by with the wind blowing out on another warm spring evening in Greater Lafayette. Carter Doorn and Cal Lambert both managed to post a pair of zeros for Purdue. Lambert retired the first seven batters he faced over his three innings of relief. Avery Cook struck out a pair while closing out the win with a scoreless ninth inning. The Boilermakers issued just two free passes Wednesday.
Toetz hit safely in all six games of the homestand, finishing the eight-day stretch 9-for-22. He's riding a seven-game hit streak at Alexander Field and eight-game on-base streak in all games. Jake Parr walked twice, including a bases-loaded free pass, and saw his nine-game hit streak become a 10-game on-base streak.
Purdue returns to action Friday for the opener of a Big Ten series at Maryland. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET. After the UMD series, the Boilermakers are scheduled to play each of their final four weekend series in the state of Indiana.
The Boilermakers (18-18) won their fourth straight game, getting back to the .500 mark on the season for the first time since being 10-10 after winning their Big Ten opener on March 24.
Purdue connected for seven extra-base hits, including six doubles. Both totals represented season highs. The Boilermakers also racked up a season-high 11 walks, including six over the first three innings. Purdue's 16 runs were its most without hitting a home run since scoring 19 on 17 singles and three doubles at Western Kentucky in what proved to be the final game of abbreviated 2020 campaign.
Couper Cornblum doubled twice. Cam Thompson and Jo Stevens connected for consecutive RBI doubles down the right field line that were carbon copies of each other in a seven-run third inning.
Toetz had two hits in the bottom of the third. He led off with a single and connected for an opposite-field, three-run double in his second trip to the plate. Purdue scored seven-plus runs in an inning for the sixth time this season.
Bolton reached base safely five times (single, three walks, HBP) to raise his on-base percentage to a team-best .455. The leadoff man stole a career-high three bases and now has 67 steals for his career, three shy of the program record that has stood since 1991. Wednesday, Bolton became the first Boilermaker with 20 steals in consecutive seasons since Chris Walker in 1998 and 1999.
The game's first 19 runs were scored exclusively in the odd-numbered innings until Purdue blew it open with three two-out runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ty Gill tripled and Lukas Cook doubled, both to center field, over Purdue's final two frames at the plate to round out the seven extra-base hits.Always ready in all situations at Alexander. #BoilerUp
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 19, 2023
End 2nd: #Purdue 4, Butler 2 pic.twitter.com/xFaczbHgzZ
Zeros were tough to come by with the wind blowing out on another warm spring evening in Greater Lafayette. Carter Doorn and Cal Lambert both managed to post a pair of zeros for Purdue. Lambert retired the first seven batters he faced over his three innings of relief. Avery Cook struck out a pair while closing out the win with a scoreless ninth inning. The Boilermakers issued just two free passes Wednesday.
Toetz hit safely in all six games of the homestand, finishing the eight-day stretch 9-for-22. He's riding a seven-game hit streak at Alexander Field and eight-game on-base streak in all games. Jake Parr walked twice, including a bases-loaded free pass, and saw his nine-game hit streak become a 10-game on-base streak.
Purdue returns to action Friday for the opener of a Big Ten series at Maryland. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET. After the UMD series, the Boilermakers are scheduled to play each of their final four weekend series in the state of Indiana.