WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball scored five runs in its first inning at the plate of the home season at Alexander Field, rolling past Butler 10-1 in front of a stadium-record crowd of 1,889 for a home opener.
April 23 Update: The number of Purdue students in attendance, who receive free admission and thus do not need a ticket for entry, were not included in the original attendance total of 1,413 announced on the day of the game.
The Boilermakers scored at least eight runs for the 12th time in their 17 games while improving to 15-2, winning their fourth straight home opener dating back to 2022. The 2022 team was 13-0 after winning its home opener on March 10 and that day's crowd of 1,135 was the previous high for a home opener at Alexander.
Aaron Manias hit the first home run of the season at Alexander Field, his fourth in the last seven games. He's also hit safely in all seven games, racking up 15 RBI and 31 total bases during the streak.
Houston Russell's triple in the third inning ignited a four-run rally as the first of four straight hits. Brandon Rogers, Ty Gill and Albert Choi all followed with singles. Choi finished his Alexander debut 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, reaching base safely in all four plate appearances.
Cole Van Assen gave Purdue four scoreless innings, excelling yet again in a midweek starter role. He's now worked nine consecutive scoreless frames dating back to March 1.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Albert Choi – 17-game on-base (as a Boilermaker)
• Brandon Anderson – 16-game on-base
• Cole Van Assen – 9 consecutive scoreless innings
• Lukas Cook: 7-game hit
• Aaron Manias: 7-game hit
• Houston Russell – 6-game on-base
The Boilermakers scored their five runs in the first inning on just two hits, consecutive singles by Choi and Lukas Cook to open the frame. The runs scored on a sac fly from Logan Sutter, producing his team-leading 29th RBI, and four consecutive bases-loaded walks with two outs. There were six free passes issued by the Butler (6-9) starter in the frame.
Sutter was kept off base for the first time this season, ending a streak in which he had reached base multiple times at 16 consecutive games. Remarkably, his on-base percentage (.590) dipped below .600 for the first time since Feb. 15.
Gavin Beuter induced and started an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play to escape a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning, eliminating three inherited base runners in the process. A leadoff home run in the frame by Ryan Drumm accounted for the visitors' lone run of the day.
Beuter worked a seven-pitch 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth, teaming up with Justin Guiliano, Barron Sawyer and Austin Klug – who all worked a scoreless frame – for 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief in their Alexander debuts.
Purdue continues its 13-game homestand this weekend when it hosts UIC for a three-game series. Friday's series opener is slated for 4 p.m. on a 75-degree day in Greater Lafayette.
April 23 Update: The number of Purdue students in attendance, who receive free admission and thus do not need a ticket for entry, were not included in the original attendance total of 1,413 announced on the day of the game.
The Boilermakers scored at least eight runs for the 12th time in their 17 games while improving to 15-2, winning their fourth straight home opener dating back to 2022. The 2022 team was 13-0 after winning its home opener on March 10 and that day's crowd of 1,135 was the previous high for a home opener at Alexander.
Aaron Manias hit the first home run of the season at Alexander Field, his fourth in the last seven games. He's also hit safely in all seven games, racking up 15 RBI and 31 total bases during the streak.
Houston Russell's triple in the third inning ignited a four-run rally as the first of four straight hits. Brandon Rogers, Ty Gill and Albert Choi all followed with singles. Choi finished his Alexander debut 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, reaching base safely in all four plate appearances.
Cole Van Assen gave Purdue four scoreless innings, excelling yet again in a midweek starter role. He's now worked nine consecutive scoreless frames dating back to March 1.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Albert Choi – 17-game on-base (as a Boilermaker)
• Brandon Anderson – 16-game on-base
• Cole Van Assen – 9 consecutive scoreless innings
• Lukas Cook: 7-game hit
• Aaron Manias: 7-game hit
• Houston Russell – 6-game on-base
The Boilermakers scored their five runs in the first inning on just two hits, consecutive singles by Choi and Lukas Cook to open the frame. The runs scored on a sac fly from Logan Sutter, producing his team-leading 29th RBI, and four consecutive bases-loaded walks with two outs. There were six free passes issued by the Butler (6-9) starter in the frame.
Sutter was kept off base for the first time this season, ending a streak in which he had reached base multiple times at 16 consecutive games. Remarkably, his on-base percentage (.590) dipped below .600 for the first time since Feb. 15.
Gavin Beuter induced and started an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play to escape a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning, eliminating three inherited base runners in the process. A leadoff home run in the frame by Ryan Drumm accounted for the visitors' lone run of the day.
Beuter worked a seven-pitch 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth, teaming up with Justin Guiliano, Barron Sawyer and Austin Klug – who all worked a scoreless frame – for 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief in their Alexander debuts.
Purdue continues its 13-game homestand this weekend when it hosts UIC for a three-game series. Friday's series opener is slated for 4 p.m. on a 75-degree day in Greater Lafayette.
Great Crowd on a Great Day for Baseball ❤️👏
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) March 12, 2025
Unofficially, the largest crowd ever for a home opener at Alexander. #BoilerUp https://t.co/DnyB8jyRwj