CHICAGO – Down 5-0 early, Purdue baseball fought back to make it a two-run game and had the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth inning when UIC escaped the jam; it proved to be a turning point as the Flames went on to take the midweek rematch 7-3 Wednesday at Granderson Stadium.
Connor Caskenette singled twice to extend his hit streak to 18 consecutive games and on-base streak to 25 straight. It remains Purdue's longest hit streak since 2011. He's now just the 13th Boilermaker since 2001 with an on-base streak of 25 consecutive games.
Jake Parr drew a pair of free passed to extend his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games. Couper Cornblum's 13-game hit streak became a 14-game on-base streak after he was held hitless for the first time since game 1 of the April 15 doubleheader vs. Penn State.
STREAKS EXTENDED WEDNESDAY
• Connor Caskenette (2-for-4, Run) – 25-game on-base streak; 18-game hit streak; 9-game on-base streak in road games
• Jake Parr (Walk, HBP, Run) – 21-game on-base streak
• Couper Cornblum (Walk, Run) – 14-game on-base streak
• Paul Toetz (RBI Single, HBP) – 97 consecutive games started (every game since start of 2022); 9-game on-base streak in midweek action
Evan Albrecht entered the game defensively at shortstop in the seventh inning, taking the field for his 200th game as a Boilermaker. The five-year starter became just the second player in the program's Alexander Field era (since 2013) to see action in 200 career games.
Cornblum, Caskenette and Parr all reached safely to begin the sixth inning. Toetz was hit by a pitch to force in a run, earning his second RBI of the night and team-leading 49th of the season.
With the Boilermakers (23-24) having the go-ahead run at first base, UIC (23-21) went to the bullpen for righthander Ryan Karst. A comebacker led to an out at the plate and an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play followed.
The Flames doubled down on the momentum swing with consecutive doubles plus a two-out RBI single in the bottom half of the frame. Instead of an opportunity to at least tie the game, Purdue's deficit had doubled in size from 5-3 to 7-3.
UIC turned another double play the following frame and erased Mike Bolton's two-out triple when catcher Jackson Bessette erased the fastest Boilermaker on a back-pick pickoff.
Bessette also accounted for three of the Flames' eight hits, including an infield single that produced an RBI to open the scoring in the home team's four-run second inning.
UIC scored its first three runs on soft ground balls that didn't leave the infield. Free passes (walks and HBPs) coupled with wild pitches set the stage for scoring opportunities. Cleanup hitter AJ Henkle's two-out, two-run single made it 5-0 Flames as the second inning came to a close.
Purdue initially got back into the game via four consecutive productive plate appearances from the middle of the order in the fourth inning. Toetz delivered an RBI single to plate Caskenette and alertly took second when UIC tried to cut down Parr at third. CJ Valdez followed with an RBI ground out.
Cal Lambert, Davis Pratt and Avery Cook teamed up for seven innings of two-run ball for the bullpen. All three pitchers worked at least one 1-2-3 inning. Lambert induced an 1-6-3 double play and retired eight straight at one point. Pratt struck out three of the final four batters he faced.
Bolton's triple was his 10th as a Boilermaker, moving the senior into sixth place in team history as just the ninth player to record a double-figure total.
Purdue has two more Big Ten series remaining on its schedule, both of which will be pivotal in the Big Ten Tournament chase. Friday's series opener at rival Indiana is slated for 6 p.m. ET.
Connor Caskenette singled twice to extend his hit streak to 18 consecutive games and on-base streak to 25 straight. It remains Purdue's longest hit streak since 2011. He's now just the 13th Boilermaker since 2001 with an on-base streak of 25 consecutive games.
Jake Parr drew a pair of free passed to extend his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games. Couper Cornblum's 13-game hit streak became a 14-game on-base streak after he was held hitless for the first time since game 1 of the April 15 doubleheader vs. Penn State.
STREAKS EXTENDED WEDNESDAY
• Connor Caskenette (2-for-4, Run) – 25-game on-base streak; 18-game hit streak; 9-game on-base streak in road games
• Jake Parr (Walk, HBP, Run) – 21-game on-base streak
• Couper Cornblum (Walk, Run) – 14-game on-base streak
• Paul Toetz (RBI Single, HBP) – 97 consecutive games started (every game since start of 2022); 9-game on-base streak in midweek action
Evan Albrecht entered the game defensively at shortstop in the seventh inning, taking the field for his 200th game as a Boilermaker. The five-year starter became just the second player in the program's Alexander Field era (since 2013) to see action in 200 career games.
Cornblum, Caskenette and Parr all reached safely to begin the sixth inning. Toetz was hit by a pitch to force in a run, earning his second RBI of the night and team-leading 49th of the season.
With the Boilermakers (23-24) having the go-ahead run at first base, UIC (23-21) went to the bullpen for righthander Ryan Karst. A comebacker led to an out at the plate and an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play followed.
The Flames doubled down on the momentum swing with consecutive doubles plus a two-out RBI single in the bottom half of the frame. Instead of an opportunity to at least tie the game, Purdue's deficit had doubled in size from 5-3 to 7-3.
UIC turned another double play the following frame and erased Mike Bolton's two-out triple when catcher Jackson Bessette erased the fastest Boilermaker on a back-pick pickoff.
Bessette also accounted for three of the Flames' eight hits, including an infield single that produced an RBI to open the scoring in the home team's four-run second inning.
UIC scored its first three runs on soft ground balls that didn't leave the infield. Free passes (walks and HBPs) coupled with wild pitches set the stage for scoring opportunities. Cleanup hitter AJ Henkle's two-out, two-run single made it 5-0 Flames as the second inning came to a close.
Purdue initially got back into the game via four consecutive productive plate appearances from the middle of the order in the fourth inning. Toetz delivered an RBI single to plate Caskenette and alertly took second when UIC tried to cut down Parr at third. CJ Valdez followed with an RBI ground out.
Cal Lambert, Davis Pratt and Avery Cook teamed up for seven innings of two-run ball for the bullpen. All three pitchers worked at least one 1-2-3 inning. Lambert induced an 1-6-3 double play and retired eight straight at one point. Pratt struck out three of the final four batters he faced.
Bolton's triple was his 10th as a Boilermaker, moving the senior into sixth place in team history as just the ninth player to record a double-figure total.
Purdue has two more Big Ten series remaining on its schedule, both of which will be pivotal in the Big Ten Tournament chase. Friday's series opener at rival Indiana is slated for 6 p.m. ET.
2⃣0⃣0⃣ for @Evan_Albrecht 💪
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 11, 2023
Our 5-year captain of the infield enters the game at SS for his 200th game as a Boilermaker.
He joins @HShipley7 & @HunterSky1 as the 200-game #Boilermakers of our Alexander Field era. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/4WcUlT7XbX