WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Michigan hit three home runs in the sixth inning to break a 4-4 tie and defeat Purdue Baseball 8-6 in Sunday's rubber game of the series.
The Boilermakers (33-19, 13-8 Big Ten) did not hold the lead at any point for the first time since a March 23 loss to Iowa, game No. 2 of the Big Ten season. But they lost two of three after winning on Friday for the second weekend in a row. Meanwhile, the Wolverines (28-24, 13-8 Big Ten) improved to 6-0 in rubber games this season, a big reason why they're now tied with Purdue in the standings.
Michigan scored in each of the first three innings, opening up early leads of 2-0 and 4-2. The Boilermakers pulled even again in the top of the sixth but could not overcome U-M's four-run frame. They did bring the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth inning.
The Wolverines lineup scored 15 runs on 25 hits over the final two games of the series after Purdue won the opener via a five-hit shutout from ace Jordan Morales. Sunday, the first three hitters in the U-M lineup – Jonathan Kim, Mitch Voit and Stephen Hrustich – were a combined 7-for-13 with four extra-base hits, seven RBI and five runs scored. Voit and Hrustich hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning after 9-hole hitter Kyle Dernedde's two-run blast had given the home team the lead back.
Keenan Spence had two more hits Sunday while batting cleanup for the first time this season. He finished the series 7-for-11 with five RBI and three walks, reaching base in 10 of his 14 plate appearances. He joined Mike Bolton Jr. (twice), Camden Gasser (twice) and Keenan Taylor as Boilermakers with a .700 on-base percentage in a weekend series this season (minimum 10 plate appearances).
Michigan starter Dylan Vigue was given the opportunity to pitch through some command issues on a day in which the freshman had three walks, three hit batters and four wild pitches through six innings. But Vigue (2-3) also induced 11 ground ball outs while limiting Purdue to just four hits (all singles).
The Boilermakers had their leadoff man reach base safely in each of the first innings, but could not score until the top of the third, a frame in which they ultimately stranded runners on the corners.
Purdue tied the game with two outs in the top of the sixth on Couper Cornblum's infield hit to third base, plating Jo Stevens. Aaron Dolney had delivered an RBI ground out as a pinch hitter earlier in the inning.
Doubles from Stevens and Gasser led to runs in the final two innings. Spence's two-out RBI single in the ninth brought team home run leader Connor Caskenette to the plate. But the Boilers were held without a homer in a road game for the first time since their April 26 win vs. Northwestern and Wrigley Field.
Purdue used seven pitchers in the game, with Kyle Iwinski accounting for eight outs as the only one of the group to give the team more than four. The Boilermakers retired eight of 11 batters from the final out of the third inning through the first out of the sixth, but they were unable to score offensively in the fourth and fifth to truly take advantage of that stretch. Jackson Dannelley and Cal Lambert teamed up to strike out the side in the eighth inning.
Bolton drew a game-opening walk to extend his on-base streak to 31 consecutive games. His 14-game hit streak in Big Ten play came to an end but he's still been on base in every conference game this season. Carter Doorn gave Purdue four outs as the first man out of the bullpen and remains unscored upon in Big Ten play this season.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 31-game on-base streak; 27-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23)
• Luke Gaffney – 17-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Couper Cornblum – 9-game on-base streak; 7-game hit streak; 105 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
• Keenan Spence – 6-game hit streak
• Carter Doorn – 16 consecutive scoreless innings pitched in Big Ten play
The Boilermakers will enter the final week of the regular season in three-way tie for third place in the Big Ten standings with Indiana and Michigan. They host first-place Illinois (15-6) for a Thursday-Friday-Saturday series while Indiana and Michigan play each other in Bloomington. Second-place Nebraska (14-7) plays at Michigan State.
The top eight teams qualify for the Big Ten Tournament and Purdue has essentially clinched a bid. Only a four-, five- or six-team logjam at 13-11 in which a complicated tiebreaker would come into play would have the potential to exclude the Boilers – with the chances of that happening being minuscule at best. One Purdue victory or one loss by any of the three teams currently tied for seventh place at 10-11 – Maryland, Ohio State and Michigan State – would make it officially official.
First pitch Thursday vs. Illinois is slated for 6 p.m. ET at Alexander Field. Game times for the series could be adjusted based on Big Ten Network television coverage. TV games are expected to be announced Monday morning.
The Boilermakers (33-19, 13-8 Big Ten) did not hold the lead at any point for the first time since a March 23 loss to Iowa, game No. 2 of the Big Ten season. But they lost two of three after winning on Friday for the second weekend in a row. Meanwhile, the Wolverines (28-24, 13-8 Big Ten) improved to 6-0 in rubber games this season, a big reason why they're now tied with Purdue in the standings.
Michigan scored in each of the first three innings, opening up early leads of 2-0 and 4-2. The Boilermakers pulled even again in the top of the sixth but could not overcome U-M's four-run frame. They did bring the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth inning.
The Wolverines lineup scored 15 runs on 25 hits over the final two games of the series after Purdue won the opener via a five-hit shutout from ace Jordan Morales. Sunday, the first three hitters in the U-M lineup – Jonathan Kim, Mitch Voit and Stephen Hrustich – were a combined 7-for-13 with four extra-base hits, seven RBI and five runs scored. Voit and Hrustich hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning after 9-hole hitter Kyle Dernedde's two-run blast had given the home team the lead back.
Keenan Spence had two more hits Sunday while batting cleanup for the first time this season. He finished the series 7-for-11 with five RBI and three walks, reaching base in 10 of his 14 plate appearances. He joined Mike Bolton Jr. (twice), Camden Gasser (twice) and Keenan Taylor as Boilermakers with a .700 on-base percentage in a weekend series this season (minimum 10 plate appearances).
Michigan starter Dylan Vigue was given the opportunity to pitch through some command issues on a day in which the freshman had three walks, three hit batters and four wild pitches through six innings. But Vigue (2-3) also induced 11 ground ball outs while limiting Purdue to just four hits (all singles).
The Boilermakers had their leadoff man reach base safely in each of the first innings, but could not score until the top of the third, a frame in which they ultimately stranded runners on the corners.
Purdue tied the game with two outs in the top of the sixth on Couper Cornblum's infield hit to third base, plating Jo Stevens. Aaron Dolney had delivered an RBI ground out as a pinch hitter earlier in the inning.
Doubles from Stevens and Gasser led to runs in the final two innings. Spence's two-out RBI single in the ninth brought team home run leader Connor Caskenette to the plate. But the Boilers were held without a homer in a road game for the first time since their April 26 win vs. Northwestern and Wrigley Field.
Purdue used seven pitchers in the game, with Kyle Iwinski accounting for eight outs as the only one of the group to give the team more than four. The Boilermakers retired eight of 11 batters from the final out of the third inning through the first out of the sixth, but they were unable to score offensively in the fourth and fifth to truly take advantage of that stretch. Jackson Dannelley and Cal Lambert teamed up to strike out the side in the eighth inning.
Bolton drew a game-opening walk to extend his on-base streak to 31 consecutive games. His 14-game hit streak in Big Ten play came to an end but he's still been on base in every conference game this season. Carter Doorn gave Purdue four outs as the first man out of the bullpen and remains unscored upon in Big Ten play this season.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 31-game on-base streak; 27-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23)
• Luke Gaffney – 17-game on-base streak in Big Ten play
• Couper Cornblum – 9-game on-base streak; 7-game hit streak; 105 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
• Keenan Spence – 6-game hit streak
• Carter Doorn – 16 consecutive scoreless innings pitched in Big Ten play
The Boilermakers will enter the final week of the regular season in three-way tie for third place in the Big Ten standings with Indiana and Michigan. They host first-place Illinois (15-6) for a Thursday-Friday-Saturday series while Indiana and Michigan play each other in Bloomington. Second-place Nebraska (14-7) plays at Michigan State.
The top eight teams qualify for the Big Ten Tournament and Purdue has essentially clinched a bid. Only a four-, five- or six-team logjam at 13-11 in which a complicated tiebreaker would come into play would have the potential to exclude the Boilers – with the chances of that happening being minuscule at best. One Purdue victory or one loss by any of the three teams currently tied for seventh place at 10-11 – Maryland, Ohio State and Michigan State – would make it officially official.
First pitch Thursday vs. Illinois is slated for 6 p.m. ET at Alexander Field. Game times for the series could be adjusted based on Big Ten Network television coverage. TV games are expected to be announced Monday morning.