MINNEAPOLIS – Khal Stephen matched his career high with eight strikeouts over six innings of three-hit ball and Purdue baseball scored three times on just one hit in the seventh inning to shut out Minnesota 3-0 in Friday's series opener.
The Boilermakers (13-15, 4-3 B1G) improved to 3-0 on Fridays in Big Ten play and 6-2 when Stephen starts on the mound this season. Purdue has also won six of its last eight games at Minnesota's Siebert Field dating back to 2017.
Mike Bolton Jr. made a run-saving catch in left field with two outs and runners on the corners in the second inning. It helped keep the game scoreless until the seventh inning.
Jo Stevens led off the seventh with a base hit to left field, extending his on-base streak to 11 consecutive games. He took second on a pitch in the dirt and quickly scampered into third when the Gophers' catcher threw the ball into center field. After a walk to Jake Parr and pitching change, Evan Albrecht successfully got the bunt down as head coach Greg Goff called for the squeeze on the first pitch from the new hurler. Albrecht was able to bunt a breaking ball back to the mound. Stevens slid in safely on a close play at the plate.
Stephen (4-1) threw a season-high 114 pitches while working into the seventh inning. He gave Purdue six strong innings for the third straight Friday, matching zeros with Minnesota (7-21, 2-2 B1G) lefty Tucker Novoty. Both pitchers struck out eight over six innings.
Stephen worked three 1-2-3 innings and struck out Minnesota's 4-5-6 hitters in order in the bottom of the fourth after giving up a leadoff single.
CJ Backer stranded a pair of inherited runners in the seventh inning after replacing Stephen with two on and no outs. Jackson Dannelley retired both batters he faced in the eighth inning, retiring the Gophers' 4-5 hitters with a runner aboard. Aaron Suval pitched a hitless ninth inning for his second save of the season. Suval has closed out each of Purdue's three Friday victories over the first three weekends of league play.
Connor Caskenette and Parr both reached base safely twice on a day in which the Boilermakers only had three hits and five free passes.
Purdue won a Big Ten road game in shutout fashion for the first time since March 2018 at Penn State.
The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.
The Boilermakers (13-15, 4-3 B1G) improved to 3-0 on Fridays in Big Ten play and 6-2 when Stephen starts on the mound this season. Purdue has also won six of its last eight games at Minnesota's Siebert Field dating back to 2017.
Mike Bolton Jr. made a run-saving catch in left field with two outs and runners on the corners in the second inning. It helped keep the game scoreless until the seventh inning.
Jo Stevens led off the seventh with a base hit to left field, extending his on-base streak to 11 consecutive games. He took second on a pitch in the dirt and quickly scampered into third when the Gophers' catcher threw the ball into center field. After a walk to Jake Parr and pitching change, Evan Albrecht successfully got the bunt down as head coach Greg Goff called for the squeeze on the first pitch from the new hurler. Albrecht was able to bunt a breaking ball back to the mound. Stevens slid in safely on a close play at the plate.
Two batters later, Couper Cornblum delivered a sacrifice fly on a line out to center field. Albrecht scored when the ball got away on the backside of attempted 4-6-3 double play turn.⭐️ @Mike_Bolton01 Saves a Run!! 💎
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 7, 2023
Great 2-out diving catch in LF to keep a runner scoring from 3rd. Gophers also had a runner in motion from 1st. #BoilerUp ⚡️
End 2nd: No Score at Minnesota
WSHY 104.3 FM: https://t.co/e3IjA9k7Qg pic.twitter.com/kQZLUvZmQ3
Stephen (4-1) threw a season-high 114 pitches while working into the seventh inning. He gave Purdue six strong innings for the third straight Friday, matching zeros with Minnesota (7-21, 2-2 B1G) lefty Tucker Novoty. Both pitchers struck out eight over six innings.
Stephen worked three 1-2-3 innings and struck out Minnesota's 4-5-6 hitters in order in the bottom of the fourth after giving up a leadoff single.
CJ Backer stranded a pair of inherited runners in the seventh inning after replacing Stephen with two on and no outs. Jackson Dannelley retired both batters he faced in the eighth inning, retiring the Gophers' 4-5 hitters with a runner aboard. Aaron Suval pitched a hitless ninth inning for his second save of the season. Suval has closed out each of Purdue's three Friday victories over the first three weekends of league play.
Connor Caskenette and Parr both reached base safely twice on a day in which the Boilermakers only had three hits and five free passes.
Purdue won a Big Ten road game in shutout fashion for the first time since March 2018 at Penn State.
The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.