WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – On a Saturday in which it faced deficits of 5-0, 7-5, 12-7 and 13-9, Purdue Baseball still managed to put the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth before a game-tying rally came up short in a 13-12 loss to No. 24 UCLA at Alexander Field.
It was Purdue's fourth consecutive Big Ten game that played out as a high-scoring battle with a bevy of momentum swings. Those four games have featured a combined 74 runs. The Boilermakers' 12 runs Saturday were the most in a loss since an April 2013 defeat at Illinois (17-12).
Purdue (20-6, 3-5 Big Ten) trailed 13-9 entering the ninth inning but quickly loaded the bases as the first three batters reached safely against UCLA closer Justin Lee. Brandon Rogers delivered a two-single to center field to chase Lee and bring the go-ahead run to the plate.
With one out and runners and at second and third, shortstop Roch Cholowsky accounted for the key play of the game. He made a diving stop in the hole on a ball hit by Albert Choi, alertly throwing to third base where teammate Roman Martin was able to tag out Rogers as Sergio DeCello came home to make it a one-run game. But the tying run was no longer in scoring position and Jack O'Connor struck out Lukas Cook looking to end the four-hour marathon.
Logan Sutter connected for an opposite-field, two-run homer in the sixth inning. He went deep for the seventh consecutive weekend (eighth home run overall), becoming the only Boilermaker this century to accomplish the feat. He also became the first Purdue player ever to reach the 40-RBI mark before April 1.
There were three five-run half innings in the contest. The Bruins (21-5, 9-2 Big Ten) sent 11 men to the plate and scored all five of their runs with two outs in the top of the second, a frame in which the Boilers used three pitchers after starter Easton Storey had to leave due to injury.
The Boilermakers sent 10 men to the plate while pulling even at 5-5 in the bottom of the third. The first nine batters of the frame enjoyed a productive plate appearance, and the visitors escaped further damage thanks to an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play with the bases loaded.
Purdue used four pitchers in UCLA's five-run sixth inning. The first seven batters reached base safely and the Bruins led 12-7 when the dust finally cleared on a half-inning that took more than 30 minutes.
UCLA turned an inning-ending double play in each of the first four innings of the game. Purdue squandered a leadoff double in the bottom of the second and did not score despite having the bases loaded with no outs and the 3-4-5 portion of the lineup coming up in the fourth.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Albert Choi: 26-game on-base (as a Boilermaker)
• Keenan Spence: 9-game on-base, 8-game hit; 13-game on-base, 9-game hit in Big Ten play (since 2024)
• Logan Sutter: 8-game on-base, 8-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Aaron Manias: 8-game on-base; 8-game on-base in Big Ten play
A day after being held to just two free passes (1 walk, 1 hit by pitch), Purdue batters drew 10 (4 walks, 6 HBP) Saturday. Five of those runners came around to score. Aaron Manias was plunked three times on the day and drew a bases-loaded walk in the five-run third inning. UCLA also committed two errors in the bottom of the fifth, helping the Boilers score twice in a frame that did not feature a ball hit out of the infield.
Cook had three hits for the second day in a row while posting at least three hits for seventh time this season. As the shortstop, he also made a diving stop near second base to start an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play in the top of the ninth.
Rogers remained red hot during the current 12-game homestand, registering multiple hits for the fifth time in his last eight games. He's 14-for-31 with a .452/.528/.646 slash line over the last 10 games.
Choi's two-run double highlighted a three-RBI day and he's still been on base in every game this season.
Austin Klug posted zeros in the eighth and ninth innings as the most effective pitcher of the seven Boilermakers that took the mound. Enas Hayden was not charged with an earned run in his two innings of relief. But Purdue also had three different pitchers not record an out, with that trio facing a combined six batters.
The series concludes Sunday at noon ET as originally planned.
It was Purdue's fourth consecutive Big Ten game that played out as a high-scoring battle with a bevy of momentum swings. Those four games have featured a combined 74 runs. The Boilermakers' 12 runs Saturday were the most in a loss since an April 2013 defeat at Illinois (17-12).
Purdue (20-6, 3-5 Big Ten) trailed 13-9 entering the ninth inning but quickly loaded the bases as the first three batters reached safely against UCLA closer Justin Lee. Brandon Rogers delivered a two-single to center field to chase Lee and bring the go-ahead run to the plate.
With one out and runners and at second and third, shortstop Roch Cholowsky accounted for the key play of the game. He made a diving stop in the hole on a ball hit by Albert Choi, alertly throwing to third base where teammate Roman Martin was able to tag out Rogers as Sergio DeCello came home to make it a one-run game. But the tying run was no longer in scoring position and Jack O'Connor struck out Lukas Cook looking to end the four-hour marathon.
Logan Sutter connected for an opposite-field, two-run homer in the sixth inning. He went deep for the seventh consecutive weekend (eighth home run overall), becoming the only Boilermaker this century to accomplish the feat. He also became the first Purdue player ever to reach the 40-RBI mark before April 1.
There were three five-run half innings in the contest. The Bruins (21-5, 9-2 Big Ten) sent 11 men to the plate and scored all five of their runs with two outs in the top of the second, a frame in which the Boilers used three pitchers after starter Easton Storey had to leave due to injury.
The Boilermakers sent 10 men to the plate while pulling even at 5-5 in the bottom of the third. The first nine batters of the frame enjoyed a productive plate appearance, and the visitors escaped further damage thanks to an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play with the bases loaded.
Purdue used four pitchers in UCLA's five-run sixth inning. The first seven batters reached base safely and the Bruins led 12-7 when the dust finally cleared on a half-inning that took more than 30 minutes.
UCLA turned an inning-ending double play in each of the first four innings of the game. Purdue squandered a leadoff double in the bottom of the second and did not score despite having the bases loaded with no outs and the 3-4-5 portion of the lineup coming up in the fourth.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Albert Choi: 26-game on-base (as a Boilermaker)
• Keenan Spence: 9-game on-base, 8-game hit; 13-game on-base, 9-game hit in Big Ten play (since 2024)
• Logan Sutter: 8-game on-base, 8-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Aaron Manias: 8-game on-base; 8-game on-base in Big Ten play
A day after being held to just two free passes (1 walk, 1 hit by pitch), Purdue batters drew 10 (4 walks, 6 HBP) Saturday. Five of those runners came around to score. Aaron Manias was plunked three times on the day and drew a bases-loaded walk in the five-run third inning. UCLA also committed two errors in the bottom of the fifth, helping the Boilers score twice in a frame that did not feature a ball hit out of the infield.
Cook had three hits for the second day in a row while posting at least three hits for seventh time this season. As the shortstop, he also made a diving stop near second base to start an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play in the top of the ninth.
Rogers remained red hot during the current 12-game homestand, registering multiple hits for the fifth time in his last eight games. He's 14-for-31 with a .452/.528/.646 slash line over the last 10 games.
Choi's two-run double highlighted a three-RBI day and he's still been on base in every game this season.
Austin Klug posted zeros in the eighth and ninth innings as the most effective pitcher of the seven Boilermakers that took the mound. Enas Hayden was not charged with an earned run in his two innings of relief. But Purdue also had three different pitchers not record an out, with that trio facing a combined six batters.
The series concludes Sunday at noon ET as originally planned.