WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A walk-off win in a 25-run slugfest in the nightcap of the doubleheader punctuated a successful Saturday at Alexander as Purdue Baseball won games vs. Samford with both its pitching and offensive output.
The Boilermakers (15-5) were victorious 6-1 and 13-12 in 10 innings, sweeping a doubleheader for the third time during the season-long 13-game homestand. Purdue improved to 7-1 on the homestand. The walk-off win was the Boilers' first of the season, 10th since the start of the 2022 campaign and 13th at Alexander Field since the stadium opened in 2013.
Jo Stevens, Mike Bolton Jr. and Ty Gill teamed up for the walk-off victory against the Bulldogs' relief ace Carson Lore. Stevens ignited the rally with a single and went first to third as Bolton connected for a hit and run double into left center. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Gill hit the first pitch into center field for a game-ending sac fly.
The nightcap was a back and forth affair that the Boilermakers still managed to win despite squandering a six-run lead after Samford (11-7) scored eight times in the top of the fifth inning. Purdue overcome a 10-7 deficit with five unanswered runs and was able to get the game to extra innings after the visitors tied the score again with two runs in the top of eighth.
Luke Wagner and Jackson Dannelley made sure there would be no comebacks in game one. Wagner (4-0) limited the visitors to six singles and an unearned run over six-plus innings. Dannelley struck out five of the 10 batters he faced over three hitless frames, earning his fifth save – all of at least nine outs.
Gill was also among the five Boilermakers to homer Saturday, hitting the first of the five in the second inning of game one. Four of the five long balls came with at least one runner aboard, with the lone exception being the second of back-to-back homers. Purdue went back-to-back for the second time this week after having not done it at home since April 2021.
Keenan Spence crushed a 439-foot moon shot to the right of the videoboard in left field for a three-run shot in the first inning of the nightcap, getting his money's worth out of his first career homer at Alexander Field. Connor Caskenette and Logan Sutter hit the back-to-back jacks in the fifth inning of game one. Both sluggers connected for their second home runs of the week. Sutter teamed with Luke Gaffney for the other set of consecutive long balls Wednesday.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Luke Wagner – 22 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run
• Connor Caskenette – 24-game on-base streak at Home (since 3/31/23); 8-game on-base streak in all games
• Couper Cornblum – 21-game on-base streak at Home (since 4/15/23); 10-game on-base, 6-game hit streaks in all games
• Camden Gasser – 18-game on-base streak (every game he's played in 2024); 11-game hit streak
• Jo Stevens – 6-game hit streak
Couper Cornblum (4-for-8, 2 2B, 2 BB, 4 R) and Stevens (3-for-7, 3 BB, 2 RBI, 4 ) were all over the bases Saturday, reaching base safely a combined nine times in the doubleheader. Stevens also impressed defensively at third base in game one, turning his second 5-3 double play of the series with two aboard in the third inning. He also turned a potential double down the left field line into an out with a diving stop shortly after Dannelley entered the game.
Despite Purdue giving up 12 runs in the nightcap, pitchers Jonathan Blackwell, Carter Doorn and Cole Van Assen all enjoyed some notable moments. Van Assen (2-0) continued to impress as a true freshman, extinguishing a potential big inning with outs vs. the top of the lineup with the game on the line in the top of the eighth inning. He gave Purdue eight outs as the most effective pitcher in the slugfest.
Blackwell struck out five of the first 10 batters he faced and kept the visitors off the scoreboard until an elevated pitch count became a factor in the fourth inning. Doorn responded to a rough start to his relief appearance by striking out Samford's 7-8-9 hitters in order in the bottom of the sixth. He then posted another zero vs. the top of the lineup the following frame.
Keenan Taylor and Logan Sutter both connected for an RBI double early in the nightcap as Purdue built its 7-2 lead. Sutter continues to lead the Big Ten with a dozen two-baggers on the season.
The series finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
The Boilermakers (15-5) were victorious 6-1 and 13-12 in 10 innings, sweeping a doubleheader for the third time during the season-long 13-game homestand. Purdue improved to 7-1 on the homestand. The walk-off win was the Boilers' first of the season, 10th since the start of the 2022 campaign and 13th at Alexander Field since the stadium opened in 2013.
Jo Stevens, Mike Bolton Jr. and Ty Gill teamed up for the walk-off victory against the Bulldogs' relief ace Carson Lore. Stevens ignited the rally with a single and went first to third as Bolton connected for a hit and run double into left center. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Gill hit the first pitch into center field for a game-ending sac fly.
The nightcap was a back and forth affair that the Boilermakers still managed to win despite squandering a six-run lead after Samford (11-7) scored eight times in the top of the fifth inning. Purdue overcome a 10-7 deficit with five unanswered runs and was able to get the game to extra innings after the visitors tied the score again with two runs in the top of eighth.
Luke Wagner and Jackson Dannelley made sure there would be no comebacks in game one. Wagner (4-0) limited the visitors to six singles and an unearned run over six-plus innings. Dannelley struck out five of the 10 batters he faced over three hitless frames, earning his fifth save – all of at least nine outs.
Wagner extended his impressive streak, which now stands at 22 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. The lefty worked a pair of 1-2-3 innings and also retired three consecutive batters after a leadoff single in the top of the fourth.4️⃣📸: @PurdueBaseball vs. Samford pic.twitter.com/D5HB9htJT0
— Ryan Long (@ryan_long_01) March 16, 2024
Gill was also among the five Boilermakers to homer Saturday, hitting the first of the five in the second inning of game one. Four of the five long balls came with at least one runner aboard, with the lone exception being the second of back-to-back homers. Purdue went back-to-back for the second time this week after having not done it at home since April 2021.
Keenan Spence crushed a 439-foot moon shot to the right of the videoboard in left field for a three-run shot in the first inning of the nightcap, getting his money's worth out of his first career homer at Alexander Field. Connor Caskenette and Logan Sutter hit the back-to-back jacks in the fifth inning of game one. Both sluggers connected for their second home runs of the week. Sutter teamed with Luke Gaffney for the other set of consecutive long balls Wednesday.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Luke Wagner – 22 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run
• Connor Caskenette – 24-game on-base streak at Home (since 3/31/23); 8-game on-base streak in all games
• Couper Cornblum – 21-game on-base streak at Home (since 4/15/23); 10-game on-base, 6-game hit streaks in all games
• Camden Gasser – 18-game on-base streak (every game he's played in 2024); 11-game hit streak
• Jo Stevens – 6-game hit streak
Couper Cornblum (4-for-8, 2 2B, 2 BB, 4 R) and Stevens (3-for-7, 3 BB, 2 RBI, 4 ) were all over the bases Saturday, reaching base safely a combined nine times in the doubleheader. Stevens also impressed defensively at third base in game one, turning his second 5-3 double play of the series with two aboard in the third inning. He also turned a potential double down the left field line into an out with a diving stop shortly after Dannelley entered the game.
Despite Purdue giving up 12 runs in the nightcap, pitchers Jonathan Blackwell, Carter Doorn and Cole Van Assen all enjoyed some notable moments. Van Assen (2-0) continued to impress as a true freshman, extinguishing a potential big inning with outs vs. the top of the lineup with the game on the line in the top of the eighth inning. He gave Purdue eight outs as the most effective pitcher in the slugfest.
Blackwell struck out five of the first 10 batters he faced and kept the visitors off the scoreboard until an elevated pitch count became a factor in the fourth inning. Doorn responded to a rough start to his relief appearance by striking out Samford's 7-8-9 hitters in order in the bottom of the sixth. He then posted another zero vs. the top of the lineup the following frame.
Keenan Taylor and Logan Sutter both connected for an RBI double early in the nightcap as Purdue built its 7-2 lead. Sutter continues to lead the Big Ten with a dozen two-baggers on the season.
The series finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
4️⃣ more 📸: @PurdueBaseball vs Samford pic.twitter.com/OzWgg4Twty
— Ryan Long (@ryan_long_01) March 17, 2024