WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball scored three times in four different innings and Luke Wagner needed only 79 pitches to complete seven scoreless innings as the Boilermakers rolled to their third shutout win of the season 14-0 vs. Michigan State on Saturday at Alexander Field.
Purdue (22-13, 7-4 Big Ten) clinched another series victory and has won six straight games in Big Ten play for the first time since reeling off nine consecutive conference wins in 2018.
Wagner (5-0) did not issue a walk over seven innings of four-hit ball. The lefty worked four flawless 1-2-3 frames and did not face more than four batters in an inning. He has led the way in two of the three shutout wins this season, becoming the Boilermakers' first starting pitcher to be on the mound for multiple shutouts since Tanner Andrews and Trent Johnson both did it in 2018.
Purdue raced out to a 9-0 lead with three consecutive three-run innings to begin the game. The Boilermakers have outscored Michigan State (14-18, 3-5 Big Ten) 21-2 over the first two games of the series.
Jo Stevens delivered a rare three-run single on a full-count pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning. It was the only ball put in play by the seven batters in the frame. Thomas Green led off the following frame with his first home run as a Boilermaker.
Luke Gaffney had three hits for the third time in the last five games. His team-leading 18th multi-hit game improved his batting average to .404 for the season. Gaffney also registered the 40th RBI of his breakout campaign and turned a 3-6-3 double play to help preserve the shutout in the third inning.
Couper Cornblum and Gaffney connected for consecutive RBI doubles in the second inning and back-to-back RBI singles the following frame.
• Purdue clinched its first three-game weekend series victory vs. Michigan State since April 2012 at Lambert Field.
• The 14 runs were the Boilermakers' most in a Big Ten game since scoring 15 in a Saturday win at Minnesota in April of last season. The series victory at Minnesota also featured the program's last shutout win in Big Ten play.
• Purdue has three shutout wins in a season for the first time since 2019. Saturday was the team's first shutout victory at home since April 2022 vs. Indiana.
• The Boilermakers have posted 16 scoreless frames on the mound in the series. Jordan Morales and Luke Wagner have pitched a combined 14 2/3 innings in the series, marking the first time Purdue pitchers went seven innings in consecutive games since Calvin Schapira (8) and Trent Johnson (7) did it against Michigan State in back-to-back wins in Champaign in April 2021.
• Couper Cornblum recorded his 100th collegiate RBI (49 at Purdue, 51 at Wichita State).
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Jo Stevens – 21-game on-base streak; 10-game hit streak; 14-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 5/18/23); 14-game on-base streak at home
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 14-game on-base streak; 6-game hit streak; 17-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23)
• Luke Gaffney – 13-game on-base streak; 11-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Connor Caskenette – 11-game on-base streak; 9-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Keenan Spence – 8-game on-base streak; 7-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Couper Cornblum – 8-game on-base streak in Big Ten play; 88 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
Camden Gasser executed a squeeze bunt in the third inning for his team-leading seventh sacrifice. Keenan Spence slid in under the tag on a close play at the plate and was originally called out before the ruling was overturned by a replay review.
After the Boilermakers went to the bench beginning in the sixth inning, Ty Gill (single) and Chase Brown (double) both plated a pair of runs with pinch hits.
Griffin Lohman induced a game-ending 4-6-3 double play, Purdue's 39th twin killing turned this season.
The series finale is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Purdue (22-13, 7-4 Big Ten) clinched another series victory and has won six straight games in Big Ten play for the first time since reeling off nine consecutive conference wins in 2018.
Wagner (5-0) did not issue a walk over seven innings of four-hit ball. The lefty worked four flawless 1-2-3 frames and did not face more than four batters in an inning. He has led the way in two of the three shutout wins this season, becoming the Boilermakers' first starting pitcher to be on the mound for multiple shutouts since Tanner Andrews and Trent Johnson both did it in 2018.
Purdue raced out to a 9-0 lead with three consecutive three-run innings to begin the game. The Boilermakers have outscored Michigan State (14-18, 3-5 Big Ten) 21-2 over the first two games of the series.
Jo Stevens delivered a rare three-run single on a full-count pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning. It was the only ball put in play by the seven batters in the frame. Thomas Green led off the following frame with his first home run as a Boilermaker.
Luke Gaffney had three hits for the third time in the last five games. His team-leading 18th multi-hit game improved his batting average to .404 for the season. Gaffney also registered the 40th RBI of his breakout campaign and turned a 3-6-3 double play to help preserve the shutout in the third inning.
Couper Cornblum and Gaffney connected for consecutive RBI doubles in the second inning and back-to-back RBI singles the following frame.
MORE SATURDAY NOTABLESGreat to have Hall of Famer Gene Keady with us again at the ballpark. Welcome to Alexander, Coach!! #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/Vge69WXCrd
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 13, 2024
• Purdue clinched its first three-game weekend series victory vs. Michigan State since April 2012 at Lambert Field.
• The 14 runs were the Boilermakers' most in a Big Ten game since scoring 15 in a Saturday win at Minnesota in April of last season. The series victory at Minnesota also featured the program's last shutout win in Big Ten play.
• Purdue has three shutout wins in a season for the first time since 2019. Saturday was the team's first shutout victory at home since April 2022 vs. Indiana.
• The Boilermakers have posted 16 scoreless frames on the mound in the series. Jordan Morales and Luke Wagner have pitched a combined 14 2/3 innings in the series, marking the first time Purdue pitchers went seven innings in consecutive games since Calvin Schapira (8) and Trent Johnson (7) did it against Michigan State in back-to-back wins in Champaign in April 2021.
• Couper Cornblum recorded his 100th collegiate RBI (49 at Purdue, 51 at Wichita State).
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Jo Stevens – 21-game on-base streak; 10-game hit streak; 14-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 5/18/23); 14-game on-base streak at home
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 14-game on-base streak; 6-game hit streak; 17-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23)
• Luke Gaffney – 13-game on-base streak; 11-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Connor Caskenette – 11-game on-base streak; 9-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Keenan Spence – 8-game on-base streak; 7-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Couper Cornblum – 8-game on-base streak in Big Ten play; 88 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
Purdue drew 10 free passes (8 walks, 2 HBP), with six of those runners coming around to score.Finally #4faves from the first couple of innings of the @PurdueBaseball game this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/WPlVakdGQm
— Dave Wegiel Photo (@pinolaphoto) April 13, 2024
Camden Gasser executed a squeeze bunt in the third inning for his team-leading seventh sacrifice. Keenan Spence slid in under the tag on a close play at the plate and was originally called out before the ruling was overturned by a replay review.
After the Boilermakers went to the bench beginning in the sixth inning, Ty Gill (single) and Chase Brown (double) both plated a pair of runs with pinch hits.
Griffin Lohman induced a game-ending 4-6-3 double play, Purdue's 39th twin killing turned this season.
The series finale is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Another Amazing Day at Alexander. #BoilerUp 🌞
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 13, 2024
📸 @PhotoByStein pic.twitter.com/GsbiDdHr2t