WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Jake Jarvis and Connor Caskenette connected for significant home runs to support an excellent combined outing on the mound from Kyle Iwinski and Aaron Suval, leading Purdue baseball to a 7-3 comeback win vs. Nebraska on Friday at Alexander Field.
The Boilermakers (24-28, 11-12 B1G) overcame a 3-0 deficit with their seven unanswered runs, snapping a season-long five-game losing streak and remaining alive in the Big Ten Tournament chase. Purdue went 6-2 on Fridays in Big Ten play this season.
Iwinski put together his fifth consecutive quality start at Alexander Field, working 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball while keeping the Huskers off the scoreboard after the fourth inning. Suval struck out six of the 10 batters he faced while recording the final seven outs of the game. His strikeout total was a season high and made him the fourth active Boilermaker with an outing in which he racked up at least five Ks while fanning at least half the batters he faced.
Iwinski finished the home season with a 2.06 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and .214 batting average against in 35 innings at Alexander Field. He pitched at least six innings in all five of his starts. He was moved up a day in the rotation once Friday became a must-win game for Purdue.
Jarvis went deep down the right field line to open the fourth inning, igniting the Boilermakers' comeback with his 10th home run of the season. Caskenette hit a two-out, two-run blast off the videoboard in the fifth inning to give Purdue its first lead.
NOTABLE STREAKS EXTENDED FRIDAY
• Jake Parr (1-for-4) – 26-game on-base; 18-game on-base in Big Ten play; 16-game on-base at Home; 8-game hit at Home
• Couper Cornblum (2-for-4, RBI) – 19-game on-base; 12-game hit at Home; 12-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Connor Caskenette (2-Run HR) -- 18-game on-base at Home
• Kyle Iwinski (6 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 K) – Worked at least 6 innings for the sixth consecutive start at Home
Iwinski (3-5) posted three of his four 1-2-3 innings vs. the 1-2-3 portion of the Nebraska (30-21-1, 14-9 B1G) lineup, retiring that trio in order in the first, third and fifth innings. The righthander retired nine consecutive batters from the fourth through sixth innings and then erased a leadoff single in the top seventh by inducing an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Suval was fighting his command early after taking over with a runner aboard and two outs in the top of the seventh. He issued a five-pitch walk and was down in the count 2-0 vs. the Huskers' No. 2 hitter. Suval came back to strike out Casey Burnham for his first K, preventing him from having to face Max Anderson, the Big Ten's leading hitter, with the bases loaded. The bases were empty in all four of Anderson's at-bats Friday.
Paul Toetz delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth and ignited Purdue's three-run sixth inning with a one-out single. Evan Albrecht and Cornblum connected for consecutive two-out RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth to double the Boilermakers' lead.
Jarvis tied Toetz for the team lead in home runs. They've become the first set of Purdue teammates with 10 home runs apiece since Dan Black and Ryne White in 2008.
Friday night's Indiana-Michigan State game in East Lansing will determine if the Boilermakers have an opportunity to play for a Big Ten Tournament berth in Saturday's regular-season finale. If the Spartans win Friday or Saturday, they clinch the final bid to the tournament. Minnesota is also still alive going into its game vs. Rutgers on Friday.
The Boilermakers (24-28, 11-12 B1G) overcame a 3-0 deficit with their seven unanswered runs, snapping a season-long five-game losing streak and remaining alive in the Big Ten Tournament chase. Purdue went 6-2 on Fridays in Big Ten play this season.
Iwinski put together his fifth consecutive quality start at Alexander Field, working 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball while keeping the Huskers off the scoreboard after the fourth inning. Suval struck out six of the 10 batters he faced while recording the final seven outs of the game. His strikeout total was a season high and made him the fourth active Boilermaker with an outing in which he racked up at least five Ks while fanning at least half the batters he faced.
Iwinski finished the home season with a 2.06 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and .214 batting average against in 35 innings at Alexander Field. He pitched at least six innings in all five of his starts. He was moved up a day in the rotation once Friday became a must-win game for Purdue.
Jarvis went deep down the right field line to open the fourth inning, igniting the Boilermakers' comeback with his 10th home run of the season. Caskenette hit a two-out, two-run blast off the videoboard in the fifth inning to give Purdue its first lead.
Couper Cornblum and CJ Valdez had multiple hits for the second day in a row, teaming up with Jarvis and Caskenette to make the top four in the Boilermakers' lineup a combined 7-for-12 with four RBI and four runs scored. Jake Parr, Cornblum and Caskenette all extended their long streaks.Another #4faves from a BIG win for @PurdueBaseball this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/iuEyuXD78X
— Dave Wegiel Photo (@pinolaphoto) May 19, 2023
NOTABLE STREAKS EXTENDED FRIDAY
• Jake Parr (1-for-4) – 26-game on-base; 18-game on-base in Big Ten play; 16-game on-base at Home; 8-game hit at Home
• Couper Cornblum (2-for-4, RBI) – 19-game on-base; 12-game hit at Home; 12-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Connor Caskenette (2-Run HR) -- 18-game on-base at Home
• Kyle Iwinski (6 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 K) – Worked at least 6 innings for the sixth consecutive start at Home
Iwinski (3-5) posted three of his four 1-2-3 innings vs. the 1-2-3 portion of the Nebraska (30-21-1, 14-9 B1G) lineup, retiring that trio in order in the first, third and fifth innings. The righthander retired nine consecutive batters from the fourth through sixth innings and then erased a leadoff single in the top seventh by inducing an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Suval was fighting his command early after taking over with a runner aboard and two outs in the top of the seventh. He issued a five-pitch walk and was down in the count 2-0 vs. the Huskers' No. 2 hitter. Suval came back to strike out Casey Burnham for his first K, preventing him from having to face Max Anderson, the Big Ten's leading hitter, with the bases loaded. The bases were empty in all four of Anderson's at-bats Friday.
Paul Toetz delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth and ignited Purdue's three-run sixth inning with a one-out single. Evan Albrecht and Cornblum connected for consecutive two-out RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth to double the Boilermakers' lead.
Jarvis tied Toetz for the team lead in home runs. They've become the first set of Purdue teammates with 10 home runs apiece since Dan Black and Ryne White in 2008.
Suval has pitched 7 1/3 innings of one-run relief over his last two appearances, racking up 11 strikeouts vs. five hits. He's done it against Indiana and Nebraska, teams featuring two of the top lineups in the league.#4faves from a big fly by @jakejarviss that started things rolling for @PurdueBaseball today. pic.twitter.com/Nhh7CiZr2w
— Dave Wegiel Photo (@pinolaphoto) May 19, 2023
Friday night's Indiana-Michigan State game in East Lansing will determine if the Boilermakers have an opportunity to play for a Big Ten Tournament berth in Saturday's regular-season finale. If the Spartans win Friday or Saturday, they clinch the final bid to the tournament. Minnesota is also still alive going into its game vs. Rutgers on Friday.