SUGAR LAND, Texas – Michael Vallone rolled through a 15-up, 15-down stretch in game one and Cole Van Assen gave the Boilermakers a quality start in the nightcap, leading the way as Purdue Baseball surrendered just one earned run on the day in Friday's Opening Day doubleheader sweep of Stephen F. Austin.
The Boilermakers (2-0) won game one 4-1 and scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to take the nightcap 4-2. Purdue improved to 6-0 in season openers under head coach Greg Goff and has now won eight of its last nine openers dating back to 2017. Friday marked the first time since 2018 that the Boilers swept a doubleheader on Opening Day.
Logan Sutter registered an RBI in the eighth inning of both games, connecting for Purdue's first home run of the season to extend the lead in game one and driving in the go-ahead run in the nightcap with a two-out RBI single. Sutter started both games at first base and made the top defensive play of the day, a diving stop behind the bag to prevent a likely one-out double with game one tied 1-1 in the seventh inning.
FRIDAY'S TOP PERFORMERS
• Michael Vallone: Win, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
• Cole Van Assen: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• Logan Sutter: 3-for-7, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 3 R
• Sergio DeCello: 2-for-3, HR, HBP, R
• Ty Gill: 1-for-4, 2B, BB, HBP, 2 R
• Brandon Anderson: 2-for-7, RBI, BB, R
• Avery Cook: 2 Saves, 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, K
For the day, six Purdue pitchers teamed up to register 15 strikeouts vs. 12 hits allowed over 18 innings. They gave up just one earned run, one extra-base hit and two walks.
Carter Doorn struck out SFA's 8-9-1 hitters in order with the bases loaded in the second inning of game one to keep it scoreless. Justin Guiliano got some big outs with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of the nightcap. He struck out SFA's No. 3 hitter and later induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play after a hit batsman forced home the tying run.
Avery Cook closed out both victories to become the first Boilermaker since Aaron Suval in April 2023 to record two saves in one day. Cook induced a 4-6-3 double play vs. the first batter he faced.
Switch-hitting catcher Sergio DeCello recorded hits from both sides of the plate in his team debut, connecting for a towering home run to left field in his lone at-bat from the right side of the plate. He also threw out a base stealer at second base in the first inning of the day.
Saturday's game has been moved back to 7 p.m. ET and could start an hour later depending on weather.
Game 1: Purdue 4, SFA 1
Vallone was the first man out of the bullpen for Purdue this season. He needed only 60 pitches to roll through his five consecutive 1-2-3 innings. Vallone went back to the mound to begin the top of the ninth, but the Boilermakers opted to go to Cook after an inning-opening error. Cook quickly erased that runner with the 4-6-3 double play.
Ty Gill's leadoff double in the seventh inning led to the go-ahead run. Albert Choi followed with an RBI single to center field, his first hit as a Boilermaker. Sutter homered to open the bottom of the eighth and DeCello also went deep in the frame.
Four consecutive Purdue batters reached base safely with two outs in the fourth inning as the Boilermakers scored the tying run without the luxury of a hit. DeCello was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Purdue's first run of the season.
An inning after he struck out the side with the bases loaded, Doorn induced a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of the SFA cleanup man with runners on the corners and no outs. The Lumberjacks scored the first run of the day on the play, but Doorn was once again able to stay out of a big inning.
Game 2: Purdue 4, SFA 2
Van Assen surrendered hits in only two of the six innings he worked. He rolled through a trio of 1-2-3 frames, also retiring SFA's 1-2-3 hitters in order in the top of the third after an inning-opening error. That marked the beginning of a stretch in which he retired 11 in a row.
Maclane Finley worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning in his team debut.
Gill and Choi once again teamed up for a key late-innings run. Gill was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the eighth and went first to third on Choi's base hit up the middle. The Lumberjacks turned a line drive bunt into a double play at first base, but Sutter delivered the two-out RBI knock when he fisted a pitch over the right side of the infield. Brandon Anderson followed with a line drive into right center for an RBI single.
Purdue took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Sutter led off the frame with a base hit and scored from first base when the SFA third baseman threw the ball away down the right field line on a well-placed bunt from Anderson. Avery Moore and Anderson executed a walk-off play on the bases to bring home another run.
Van Assen has not allowed an earned nor a walk over a combined 9 2/3 innings in his two appearances at Constellation Field the last two seasons.
The Boilermakers (2-0) won game one 4-1 and scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to take the nightcap 4-2. Purdue improved to 6-0 in season openers under head coach Greg Goff and has now won eight of its last nine openers dating back to 2017. Friday marked the first time since 2018 that the Boilers swept a doubleheader on Opening Day.
Logan Sutter registered an RBI in the eighth inning of both games, connecting for Purdue's first home run of the season to extend the lead in game one and driving in the go-ahead run in the nightcap with a two-out RBI single. Sutter started both games at first base and made the top defensive play of the day, a diving stop behind the bag to prevent a likely one-out double with game one tied 1-1 in the seventh inning.
FRIDAY'S TOP PERFORMERS
• Michael Vallone: Win, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
• Cole Van Assen: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• Logan Sutter: 3-for-7, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 3 R
• Sergio DeCello: 2-for-3, HR, HBP, R
• Ty Gill: 1-for-4, 2B, BB, HBP, 2 R
• Brandon Anderson: 2-for-7, RBI, BB, R
• Avery Cook: 2 Saves, 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, K
For the day, six Purdue pitchers teamed up to register 15 strikeouts vs. 12 hits allowed over 18 innings. They gave up just one earned run, one extra-base hit and two walks.
Carter Doorn struck out SFA's 8-9-1 hitters in order with the bases loaded in the second inning of game one to keep it scoreless. Justin Guiliano got some big outs with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of the nightcap. He struck out SFA's No. 3 hitter and later induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play after a hit batsman forced home the tying run.
Avery Cook closed out both victories to become the first Boilermaker since Aaron Suval in April 2023 to record two saves in one day. Cook induced a 4-6-3 double play vs. the first batter he faced.
Switch-hitting catcher Sergio DeCello recorded hits from both sides of the plate in his team debut, connecting for a towering home run to left field in his lone at-bat from the right side of the plate. He also threw out a base stealer at second base in the first inning of the day.
Saturday's game has been moved back to 7 p.m. ET and could start an hour later depending on weather.
Game 1: Purdue 4, SFA 1
Vallone was the first man out of the bullpen for Purdue this season. He needed only 60 pitches to roll through his five consecutive 1-2-3 innings. Vallone went back to the mound to begin the top of the ninth, but the Boilermakers opted to go to Cook after an inning-opening error. Cook quickly erased that runner with the 4-6-3 double play.
Ty Gill's leadoff double in the seventh inning led to the go-ahead run. Albert Choi followed with an RBI single to center field, his first hit as a Boilermaker. Sutter homered to open the bottom of the eighth and DeCello also went deep in the frame.
Four consecutive Purdue batters reached base safely with two outs in the fourth inning as the Boilermakers scored the tying run without the luxury of a hit. DeCello was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Purdue's first run of the season.
An inning after he struck out the side with the bases loaded, Doorn induced a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of the SFA cleanup man with runners on the corners and no outs. The Lumberjacks scored the first run of the day on the play, but Doorn was once again able to stay out of a big inning.
Game 2: Purdue 4, SFA 2
Van Assen surrendered hits in only two of the six innings he worked. He rolled through a trio of 1-2-3 frames, also retiring SFA's 1-2-3 hitters in order in the top of the third after an inning-opening error. That marked the beginning of a stretch in which he retired 11 in a row.
Maclane Finley worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning in his team debut.
Gill and Choi once again teamed up for a key late-innings run. Gill was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the eighth and went first to third on Choi's base hit up the middle. The Lumberjacks turned a line drive bunt into a double play at first base, but Sutter delivered the two-out RBI knock when he fisted a pitch over the right side of the infield. Brandon Anderson followed with a line drive into right center for an RBI single.
Purdue took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Sutter led off the frame with a base hit and scored from first base when the SFA third baseman threw the ball away down the right field line on a well-placed bunt from Anderson. Avery Moore and Anderson executed a walk-off play on the bases to bring home another run.
Van Assen has not allowed an earned nor a walk over a combined 9 2/3 innings in his two appearances at Constellation Field the last two seasons.