WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Khal Stephen carried a quality start into the seventh inning but facing the 2-3-4 portion of the lineup for the fourth time proved decisive as Nebraska broke a 2-2 tie and went on defeat Purdue baseball 10-5 in Thursday's series opener at Alexander Field.
Friday's game has been moved up to 1 p.m. ET in an effort to avoid rain in the forecast later in the day. Tickets for Friday's game can also be used for the series finale Saturday at 2 p.m.
Both teams scored in each of the final three innings, but a pair of three-run homers powered the Huskers to their 30th win of the season.
The Boilermakers' loss coupled with Michigan State's win vs. Indiana on Thursday sets up a must-win scenario for Purdue (23-28, 10-12 B1G) for the rest of the weekend. Another loss – or victory by MSU – would eliminate the Boilermakers from Big Ten Tournament contention.
CJ Valdez powered Purdue with three hits and three RBI, highlighted by a two-out, two-run homer in the second inning that gave the Boilers their first lead since May 7. It was short lived unfortunately. Nebraska (30-20-1, 14-8 B1G) tied the game on a bloop single in the top of the third after Stephen retired the opposition's No. 3 and 4 hitters – Max Anderson and Gabe Swansen – to begin the frame.
Swansen hit the go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning to end Stephen's night. Anderson connected for another three-run blast the following frame. A leadoff homer in the top of the ninth from Charlie Fischer was the Huskers' team record-tying 93rd of the season.
Stephen entered the seventh inning having retired 10 of the last 11, rolling through a pair of 1-2-3 innings on his third trip through the Nebraska lineup. But five walks and a hit batsman vs. the first 17 batters he faced ran up his pitch count to 113 entering the seventh. Casey Burnham hit the first pitch of the inning down the left field line and was called safe on a bang-bang play at second base. After an intentional walk to Anderson, Swansen hit the first pitch he saw over the left field bullpen.
The game featured a combined 26 hits and 20 runners left on base. Purdue stranded the bases loaded in three different innings and was unable to deliver a big hit with runners on second and third with the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth.
The Boilermakers did score three times against Nebraska's top two relievers, preventing closer Shay Schanaman from finishing off the win by sending seven men to the plate in the ninth inning.
Couper Cornblum matched Valdez with three hits, extending his on-base streak to 18 consecutive games. He's hit safely in 11 straight at Alexander Field. Jake Parr kept his numerous overlapping streaks alive. Connor Caskenette's 16-game hit streak at home became a 17-game on-base streak.
NOTABLE STREAKS EXTENDED THURSDAY
• Jake Parr (1-for-5, RBI) – 25-game on-base; 17-game on-base in Big Ten play; 15-game on-base at Home; 7-game hit at Home
• Couper Cornblum (3-for-5, R) – 18-game on-base; 11-game hit at Home; 11-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Connor Caskenette (2 Walks) -- 17-game on-base at Home
• Mike Bolton Jr. (2-for-5, 2B, R) – 9-game on-base
Ty Gill and Valdez both connected for doubles in the eighth inning. Gill's RBI two-bagger was his team-leading seventh pinch hit of the season.
Nine Boilermakers received their diplomas before the game as part of the annual on-field commencement ceremony at Alexander Field. Evan Albrecht, Sam Franco, Jake Jarvis, Steve Ramirez, Calvin Schapira, Cam Thompson, Paul Toetz, Parr and Valdez represent the program's Class of 2023.
Friday's game has been moved up to 1 p.m. ET in an effort to avoid rain in the forecast later in the day. Tickets for Friday's game can also be used for the series finale Saturday at 2 p.m.
Both teams scored in each of the final three innings, but a pair of three-run homers powered the Huskers to their 30th win of the season.
The Boilermakers' loss coupled with Michigan State's win vs. Indiana on Thursday sets up a must-win scenario for Purdue (23-28, 10-12 B1G) for the rest of the weekend. Another loss – or victory by MSU – would eliminate the Boilermakers from Big Ten Tournament contention.
CJ Valdez powered Purdue with three hits and three RBI, highlighted by a two-out, two-run homer in the second inning that gave the Boilers their first lead since May 7. It was short lived unfortunately. Nebraska (30-20-1, 14-8 B1G) tied the game on a bloop single in the top of the third after Stephen retired the opposition's No. 3 and 4 hitters – Max Anderson and Gabe Swansen – to begin the frame.
Swansen hit the go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning to end Stephen's night. Anderson connected for another three-run blast the following frame. A leadoff homer in the top of the ninth from Charlie Fischer was the Huskers' team record-tying 93rd of the season.
Stephen entered the seventh inning having retired 10 of the last 11, rolling through a pair of 1-2-3 innings on his third trip through the Nebraska lineup. But five walks and a hit batsman vs. the first 17 batters he faced ran up his pitch count to 113 entering the seventh. Casey Burnham hit the first pitch of the inning down the left field line and was called safe on a bang-bang play at second base. After an intentional walk to Anderson, Swansen hit the first pitch he saw over the left field bullpen.
The game featured a combined 26 hits and 20 runners left on base. Purdue stranded the bases loaded in three different innings and was unable to deliver a big hit with runners on second and third with the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth.
The Boilermakers did score three times against Nebraska's top two relievers, preventing closer Shay Schanaman from finishing off the win by sending seven men to the plate in the ninth inning.
Couper Cornblum matched Valdez with three hits, extending his on-base streak to 18 consecutive games. He's hit safely in 11 straight at Alexander Field. Jake Parr kept his numerous overlapping streaks alive. Connor Caskenette's 16-game hit streak at home became a 17-game on-base streak.
NOTABLE STREAKS EXTENDED THURSDAY
• Jake Parr (1-for-5, RBI) – 25-game on-base; 17-game on-base in Big Ten play; 15-game on-base at Home; 7-game hit at Home
• Couper Cornblum (3-for-5, R) – 18-game on-base; 11-game hit at Home; 11-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Connor Caskenette (2 Walks) -- 17-game on-base at Home
• Mike Bolton Jr. (2-for-5, 2B, R) – 9-game on-base
Ty Gill and Valdez both connected for doubles in the eighth inning. Gill's RBI two-bagger was his team-leading seventh pinch hit of the season.
Nine Boilermakers received their diplomas before the game as part of the annual on-field commencement ceremony at Alexander Field. Evan Albrecht, Sam Franco, Jake Jarvis, Steve Ramirez, Calvin Schapira, Cam Thompson, Paul Toetz, Parr and Valdez represent the program's Class of 2023.
The donning of the Cap & Gowns... in the dugout.
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 18, 2023
⚾️ #BoilerUp x #PurdueGrads 🎓 pic.twitter.com/3hxEOHdh1o