WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Luke Gaffney's three-run homer helped bring the go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth inning as Purdue Baseball's third long ball of the night, but East Tennessee State was able to hang on to take the series opener 9-7 Friday at Alexander Field.
Keenan Taylor and Logan Sutter hit solo homers to right field in the second inning to give the Boilermakers (24-14) a 2-1 lead. However, the visitors responded with consecutive four-run frames to take a big lead. Purdue conceded more runs in the third and fourth innings Friday than it had surrendered in its last four games combined (six).
Gaffney went deep for the third game in a row and ninth time this season. Four of his last five homers have been three-run blasts, helping him reach the 50-RBI mark for the season Friday. Based on game-by-game data dating back to 2001, achieving the feat by April 19 makes Gaffney the fastest Boilermaker via date on the calendar to reach the 50-RBI benchmark. Purdue's freshman record for RBI is 53, a mark that has stood since 2010. He's just three runs scored away that freshman record (50) as well.
Gaffney is riding eight-game hit and 16-game on-base streaks. He has 11 RBI in the last four games.
Weston Gingerich's two-out double reignited the Boilermakers' ninth-inning rally. Jo Stevens was then hit by a pitch for his third consecutive plate appearance. Sutter worked the count into his favor at 3-1 and hit a line drive rocket that was snared by ETSU third baseman Cody Miller to end the game.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Jo Stevens – 24-game on-base streak; 17-game on-base streak at home
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 17-game on-base streak; 10-game on-base streak at home
• Luke Gaffney – 16-game on-base streak; 8-game hit streak; 9-game on-base streak at home
• Logan Sutter – 9-game on-base streak
• Couper Cornblum – 91 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
Avery Cook and Davis Pratt teamed up for 5 2/3 innings of two-hit scoreless relief as the Purdue bullpen enjoyed one of its finest games of the season. Pratt retired nine of the 10 batters he faced over three innings. Cook gave the Boilermakers eight outs after being pressed into action in the fourth inning. He escaped a base-loaded jam in the top of the sixth to keep Purdue in it.
The Buccaneers (23-12) entered the weekend ranked ninth nationally in batting average and they showed off their explosive lineup with six extra-base hits while scoring nine times from the second through fourth innings. Cameron Sisneros connected for his 14th home run of the season, a two-run blast that cleared the right field bullpen, in the top of the third. JD Yakubinis, Nick Iannantone and Jackson Green all delivered RBI doubles. Green's two-run double chased starter Jordan Morales in the fourth inning.
The Boilermakers lost at home with Morales (5-4) on the mound for the first time this season.
Jace Hyde (4-3) excelled in a bulk role for ETSU, working 5 1/3 innings of one-hit relief after replacing starter Carter Fink to begin the third inning.
Camden Gasser was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored from the 9-hole in the lineup for Purdue, raising his team-leading on-base percentage to .506. As a pinch hitter, Breck Nowik flew out to the wall in left field with two men aboard to the end the eighth inning. It proved an even more significant close call after Gaffney went deep as the Boilermakers rallied in the ninth.
Taylor hit his first career home run at Alexander Field on Friday. He made his second start of the season in right field as Purdue played without Keenan Spence, who had started the last 14 games in right. The Boilermakers also lost catcher and cleanup hitter Connor Caskenette after he grounded out in his first at-bat.
Game 2 of the series is slated for Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.
Keenan Taylor and Logan Sutter hit solo homers to right field in the second inning to give the Boilermakers (24-14) a 2-1 lead. However, the visitors responded with consecutive four-run frames to take a big lead. Purdue conceded more runs in the third and fourth innings Friday than it had surrendered in its last four games combined (six).
Gaffney went deep for the third game in a row and ninth time this season. Four of his last five homers have been three-run blasts, helping him reach the 50-RBI mark for the season Friday. Based on game-by-game data dating back to 2001, achieving the feat by April 19 makes Gaffney the fastest Boilermaker via date on the calendar to reach the 50-RBI benchmark. Purdue's freshman record for RBI is 53, a mark that has stood since 2010. He's just three runs scored away that freshman record (50) as well.
Gaffney is riding eight-game hit and 16-game on-base streaks. He has 11 RBI in the last four games.
Weston Gingerich's two-out double reignited the Boilermakers' ninth-inning rally. Jo Stevens was then hit by a pitch for his third consecutive plate appearance. Sutter worked the count into his favor at 3-1 and hit a line drive rocket that was snared by ETSU third baseman Cody Miller to end the game.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Jo Stevens – 24-game on-base streak; 17-game on-base streak at home
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 17-game on-base streak; 10-game on-base streak at home
• Luke Gaffney – 16-game on-base streak; 8-game hit streak; 9-game on-base streak at home
• Logan Sutter – 9-game on-base streak
• Couper Cornblum – 91 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
Avery Cook and Davis Pratt teamed up for 5 2/3 innings of two-hit scoreless relief as the Purdue bullpen enjoyed one of its finest games of the season. Pratt retired nine of the 10 batters he faced over three innings. Cook gave the Boilermakers eight outs after being pressed into action in the fourth inning. He escaped a base-loaded jam in the top of the sixth to keep Purdue in it.
The Buccaneers (23-12) entered the weekend ranked ninth nationally in batting average and they showed off their explosive lineup with six extra-base hits while scoring nine times from the second through fourth innings. Cameron Sisneros connected for his 14th home run of the season, a two-run blast that cleared the right field bullpen, in the top of the third. JD Yakubinis, Nick Iannantone and Jackson Green all delivered RBI doubles. Green's two-run double chased starter Jordan Morales in the fourth inning.
The Boilermakers lost at home with Morales (5-4) on the mound for the first time this season.
Jace Hyde (4-3) excelled in a bulk role for ETSU, working 5 1/3 innings of one-hit relief after replacing starter Carter Fink to begin the third inning.
Camden Gasser was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored from the 9-hole in the lineup for Purdue, raising his team-leading on-base percentage to .506. As a pinch hitter, Breck Nowik flew out to the wall in left field with two men aboard to the end the eighth inning. It proved an even more significant close call after Gaffney went deep as the Boilermakers rallied in the ninth.
Taylor hit his first career home run at Alexander Field on Friday. He made his second start of the season in right field as Purdue played without Keenan Spence, who had started the last 14 games in right. The Boilermakers also lost catcher and cleanup hitter Connor Caskenette after he grounded out in his first at-bat.
Game 2 of the series is slated for Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.