ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Connor Caskenette hit his team-leading 13th home run and Purdue Baseball eclipsed its team RBI record that had stood since 1986, but both achievements came in a 7-6 walk-off loss at Michigan on Saturday.
The game ended on a bases-loaded walk to pinch hitter AJ Garcia with one out in the ninth inning. After cleanup hitter Collin Priest's fourth hit of the day gave U-M (27-24, 12-6 Big Ten) runners on second and third, the Boilermakers (33-18, 13-7 Big Ten) issued an intentional walk to load the bases.
Purdue stranded 11 runners on base, one shy of the team season high in Big Ten play, which also came in a walk-off loss on a Saturday. That March 30 game at Ohio State marked the last time the Boilermakers had lost on the road.
Caskenette connected for a solo blast in the fourth inning, matching Jacson McGowan (2018) and Cam Thompson (2022) for the most homers by a Boilermaker in the BBCOR bat era (2011-present). Caskenette also doubled and walked twice, scoring three of Purdue's six runs.
Keenan Spence shined again for the Boilermakers, reaching base safely in all five of his plate appearances. He delivered a two-out RBI single in his first at-bat and doubled up the middle to lead off the sixth inning. On the heels of his two-homer game in Friday's win, Michigan chose to intentionally walk Spence with first base open in the seventh and ninth innings.
Thomas Green drove in runs with a sacrifice fly and an RBI ground out, giving the Boilers a 6-5 lead by putting the ball in play with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh. He accounted for the team's 398th RBI of the season to break that team benchmark.
But Purdue was unable to capitalize on leadoff doubles in the sixth and ninth innings while also stranding runners on second and third in the top of the seventh.
Mike Bolton Jr.'s leadoff double in the fifth inning did lead to runs as the Boilers quickly answered after Michigan had scored four in the previous frame to open up a 5-3 lead. Bolton is now riding a 30-game on-base streak, becoming the sixth Boilermaker since 2001 with such a steak of at least 30 games. He's also hit safely in 13 consecutive Big Ten games.
Luke Gaffney delivered an RBI double and Jo Stevens a run-scoring single for Purdue in the top of the fifth.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 30-game on-base streak; 26-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23); 14-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Luke Gaffney – 16-game on-base streak in Big Ten play; 9-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Couper Cornblum – 8-game on-base streak; 104 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
Michigan shortstop Kyle Dernedde made two fine defensive plays, robbing Camden Gasser and Bolton of hits. He took away a leadoff single from Bolton with the game tied in the eighth inning. Bolton made a fine catch of his own in a big spot, a running grab in foul territory with the go-ahead run at third base for the final out of the eighth inning.
Davis Pratt registered the Boilermakers' lone 1-2-3 inning of the day, rolling through U-M's 5-6-7 hitters in the bottom of the fifth after his team had tied it in the top the frame. The visitors briefly held leads of 3-1 and 6-5 but Michigan's eight extra-base hits powered a 12-hit attack.
The rubber game of the series is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. In rubber games this season, Purdue is 0-2 and Michigan is 5-0.
The game ended on a bases-loaded walk to pinch hitter AJ Garcia with one out in the ninth inning. After cleanup hitter Collin Priest's fourth hit of the day gave U-M (27-24, 12-6 Big Ten) runners on second and third, the Boilermakers (33-18, 13-7 Big Ten) issued an intentional walk to load the bases.
Purdue stranded 11 runners on base, one shy of the team season high in Big Ten play, which also came in a walk-off loss on a Saturday. That March 30 game at Ohio State marked the last time the Boilermakers had lost on the road.
Caskenette connected for a solo blast in the fourth inning, matching Jacson McGowan (2018) and Cam Thompson (2022) for the most homers by a Boilermaker in the BBCOR bat era (2011-present). Caskenette also doubled and walked twice, scoring three of Purdue's six runs.
Keenan Spence shined again for the Boilermakers, reaching base safely in all five of his plate appearances. He delivered a two-out RBI single in his first at-bat and doubled up the middle to lead off the sixth inning. On the heels of his two-homer game in Friday's win, Michigan chose to intentionally walk Spence with first base open in the seventh and ninth innings.
Thomas Green drove in runs with a sacrifice fly and an RBI ground out, giving the Boilers a 6-5 lead by putting the ball in play with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh. He accounted for the team's 398th RBI of the season to break that team benchmark.
But Purdue was unable to capitalize on leadoff doubles in the sixth and ninth innings while also stranding runners on second and third in the top of the seventh.
Mike Bolton Jr.'s leadoff double in the fifth inning did lead to runs as the Boilers quickly answered after Michigan had scored four in the previous frame to open up a 5-3 lead. Bolton is now riding a 30-game on-base streak, becoming the sixth Boilermaker since 2001 with such a steak of at least 30 games. He's also hit safely in 13 consecutive Big Ten games.
Luke Gaffney delivered an RBI double and Jo Stevens a run-scoring single for Purdue in the top of the fifth.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 30-game on-base streak; 26-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23); 14-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Luke Gaffney – 16-game on-base streak in Big Ten play; 9-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Couper Cornblum – 8-game on-base streak; 104 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
Michigan shortstop Kyle Dernedde made two fine defensive plays, robbing Camden Gasser and Bolton of hits. He took away a leadoff single from Bolton with the game tied in the eighth inning. Bolton made a fine catch of his own in a big spot, a running grab in foul territory with the go-ahead run at third base for the final out of the eighth inning.
Davis Pratt registered the Boilermakers' lone 1-2-3 inning of the day, rolling through U-M's 5-6-7 hitters in the bottom of the fifth after his team had tied it in the top the frame. The visitors briefly held leads of 3-1 and 6-5 but Michigan's eight extra-base hits powered a 12-hit attack.
The rubber game of the series is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. In rubber games this season, Purdue is 0-2 and Michigan is 5-0.