WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Kyle Iwinski shined with six scoreless innings and Purdue Basbeall enjoyed a four-run lead when it went to the bullpen, but Indiana rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to steal the rubber game of the series 5-4 Sunday at Alexander Field.
The Hoosiers (26-19-1, 12-6 Big Ten) enjoyed a combined 15-1 scoring edge over the final three innings in their two victories in the series. That advantage carried IU to its first series win in West Lafayette since May 2002. It also marked the first time the road team won a series since Purdue took two of three in Bloomington in May 2010.
Purdue (31-17, 12-6 Big Ten) and Indiana will go into the penultimate weekend of Big Ten play in a three-way tie for second place with Nebraska – the trio all one game behind first-place Illinois (13-5 Big Ten). Iowa (13-8) is tied with Illinois in the win column but has only one conference weekend remaining. The Hawkeyes visit Champaign and the Hoosiers go to Lincoln next weekend. The Boilermakers play at Michigan (11-7).
Indiana sent nine men to the plate in its four-run ninth inning, capitalizing on three walks (two with the bases loaded) and a two-out error to take the lead. Consecutive one-out singles from Brock Tibbitts and Carter Mathison ignited the rally.
After a bases-loaded walk to pinch hitter Andrew Wiggins put the go-ahead run on base, Devin Taylor hit a hot shot off the leg of pitcher Aaron Suval for an infield single. Suval regrouped and struck out IU's 2-hole hitter with the tying run still at third. But another bases-loaded walk followed, with Nick Mitchell extending the game via the base on balls. Suval (3-1) induced a check swing comebacker off the bat of Tyler Cerny, but the ball ricocheted off his glove and spun into no man's land between first and second base, allowing Wiggins to score the go-ahead run.
In the seventh inning, a diving catcher in center field by Couper Cornblum was overturned by a replay review. It came with a runner on first and no outs in the inning. Purdue's primary argument after the catch was reversed and the batter called safe was the runner should be out at second on a force out. The Boilermakers had already tagged the second base bag while holding the ball before the runner arrived. But the umpires overruled the potential force out, indicating the play was dead once the catch was incorrectly ruled an out against the batter.
That runner ended up scoring IU's first run of the game when shortstop Thomas Green made a nice play to get an out at third base on a chopper deep in the hole with the bases loaded and one out.
Fellow Indiana native Keenan Taylor enjoyed a day to remember. He reached base safely in all three of his plate appearances and made a pair of diving catches in right field, delivering the web gems in consecutive innings. The second catch came with two on and two outs in the sixth inning, robbing a likely game-tying, two-run double.
Mike Bolton Jr. and Taylor connected for a leadoff double in each of the first two innings. Bolton scored on an RBI single from Connor Caskenette and Taylor came home on a squeeze bunt by Green.
The Boilermakers tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth without the luxury of a hit. Two walks and two hit batters ended the day of reliever Aydan Decker-Petty, who took the mound with one out in the second inning. Decker-Petty plunked Taylor to force in a run. Green later delivered a sac fly to left field.
Jacob Vogel (1-0) worked four innings of scoreless relief, including a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth vs. Purdue's 3-4-5 hitters, to earn the victory in relief.
Sunday's game was played in front of a crowd of 2,257. Fans packed Alexander Field with crowds of over 2,200 in all four games this week as Purdue welcomed 9,671 through the gates for the week, resetting the attendance record Wednesday and Saturday.
The Boilermakers are back in action Tuesday for their midweek finale at UIC. First pitch in Chicago is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 27-game on-base streak; 24-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23); 17-game on-base streak at home; 12-game hit streak in Big Ten play; 9-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Connor Caskenette – 11-game hit streak in Big Ten play; 16-game on-base streak in Big Ten play; 8-game hit streak in all games
• Couper Cornblum – 101 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
The Hoosiers (26-19-1, 12-6 Big Ten) enjoyed a combined 15-1 scoring edge over the final three innings in their two victories in the series. That advantage carried IU to its first series win in West Lafayette since May 2002. It also marked the first time the road team won a series since Purdue took two of three in Bloomington in May 2010.
Purdue (31-17, 12-6 Big Ten) and Indiana will go into the penultimate weekend of Big Ten play in a three-way tie for second place with Nebraska – the trio all one game behind first-place Illinois (13-5 Big Ten). Iowa (13-8) is tied with Illinois in the win column but has only one conference weekend remaining. The Hawkeyes visit Champaign and the Hoosiers go to Lincoln next weekend. The Boilermakers play at Michigan (11-7).
Indiana sent nine men to the plate in its four-run ninth inning, capitalizing on three walks (two with the bases loaded) and a two-out error to take the lead. Consecutive one-out singles from Brock Tibbitts and Carter Mathison ignited the rally.
After a bases-loaded walk to pinch hitter Andrew Wiggins put the go-ahead run on base, Devin Taylor hit a hot shot off the leg of pitcher Aaron Suval for an infield single. Suval regrouped and struck out IU's 2-hole hitter with the tying run still at third. But another bases-loaded walk followed, with Nick Mitchell extending the game via the base on balls. Suval (3-1) induced a check swing comebacker off the bat of Tyler Cerny, but the ball ricocheted off his glove and spun into no man's land between first and second base, allowing Wiggins to score the go-ahead run.
In the seventh inning, a diving catcher in center field by Couper Cornblum was overturned by a replay review. It came with a runner on first and no outs in the inning. Purdue's primary argument after the catch was reversed and the batter called safe was the runner should be out at second on a force out. The Boilermakers had already tagged the second base bag while holding the ball before the runner arrived. But the umpires overruled the potential force out, indicating the play was dead once the catch was incorrectly ruled an out against the batter.
That runner ended up scoring IU's first run of the game when shortstop Thomas Green made a nice play to get an out at third base on a chopper deep in the hole with the bases loaded and one out.
Iwinski put together his finest performance of the season, working a trio of 1-2-3 frames over six innings of four-hit ball. He retired 14 of 15 batters from the final out of the first inning through the first out of the sixth inning. It was shades of Iwinski's excellence at Alexander Field a year ago when he compiled a 2.06 ERA and .214 batting average against in 35 innings over his five starts.The @PurdueBaseball brought the D today! Some outstanding plays out there. Had the visitors shaking their heads in disbelief most of the day.#Favor8s #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/WIqSybpQ5O
— Top Row Pics (@TopRowPics) May 5, 2024
Fellow Indiana native Keenan Taylor enjoyed a day to remember. He reached base safely in all three of his plate appearances and made a pair of diving catches in right field, delivering the web gems in consecutive innings. The second catch came with two on and two outs in the sixth inning, robbing a likely game-tying, two-run double.
Mike Bolton Jr. and Taylor connected for a leadoff double in each of the first two innings. Bolton scored on an RBI single from Connor Caskenette and Taylor came home on a squeeze bunt by Green.
The Boilermakers tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth without the luxury of a hit. Two walks and two hit batters ended the day of reliever Aydan Decker-Petty, who took the mound with one out in the second inning. Decker-Petty plunked Taylor to force in a run. Green later delivered a sac fly to left field.
Jacob Vogel (1-0) worked four innings of scoreless relief, including a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth vs. Purdue's 3-4-5 hitters, to earn the victory in relief.
Sunday's game was played in front of a crowd of 2,257. Fans packed Alexander Field with crowds of over 2,200 in all four games this week as Purdue welcomed 9,671 through the gates for the week, resetting the attendance record Wednesday and Saturday.
The Boilermakers are back in action Tuesday for their midweek finale at UIC. First pitch in Chicago is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 27-game on-base streak; 24-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23); 17-game on-base streak at home; 12-game hit streak in Big Ten play; 9-game hit streak in Big Ten play
• Connor Caskenette – 11-game hit streak in Big Ten play; 16-game on-base streak in Big Ten play; 8-game hit streak in all games
• Couper Cornblum – 101 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
…They Will Come ⚾️ 🏟️ #BoilerUp x #ThankYouFans x #MomentumIsReal pic.twitter.com/7VSXNPbDGJ
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 5, 2024