MINNEAPOLIS – Outfielders Albert Choi and Eli Anderson both robbed an extra-base hit while crashing into the wall, accounting for the top web gems of the night as Purdue Baseball defeated Minnesota 6-3 in Friday's Big Ten Conference opener for both teams.
Logan Sutter hit a two-run homer in the third inning to extend the Boilermakers' lead to 5-0. He went opposite field again in his next at-bat, connecting for a double just below the yellow home run line on the right field wall at U.S. Bank Stadium. Sutter has reached base safely at least twice in each of the first 14 games as Purdue has roared out to a 13-1 start.
The Boilermakers won their eighth straight Big Ten opener dating back to 2017. They've won eight of their last 11 games vs. the Gophers (5-6) in Minneapolis going back to the same year.
Choi robbed a likely home run with a leaping catch at the center field wall to open the bottom of the second inning. On the next pitch, Anderson made a nifty sliding catch in left field. But Anderson's most impressive play of the night was a leaping grab on the equivalent of the warning track for the first out of the fourth inning.
All three catches helped Carter Doorn pitch into the sixth inning while throwing just 80 pitches. The senior surrendered only three hits and an unearned run, giving him a streak of 14 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Doorn (3-0) has not surrendered an earned run in three of his four outings this season, all as Purdue's series-opening starter. He lowered his ERA to 0.47 through 19 innings.
Michael Vallone and Avery Cook both escaped bases-loaded jams while accounting for the most significant outs of the game. Vallone won lefty-lefty matchups vs. Minnesota's 6- and 7-hole hitters to leave the bases full of Gophers in the sixth inning. He struck out Charlie Sutherland for the final out after an extended at-bat in which the count went full.
Cook had to go through the top of the Minnesota lineup with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to close out the game. He struck out the leadoff man, retired the 3-hole hitter on a short fly ball to right field and induced a game-ending comebacker off the bat of the cleanup hitter.
Thanks in part to the catches by Choi and Anderson, all three of which came on balls hit by the heart of the lineup, Minnesota's 3-4-5 hitters were a combined 0-for-11 with two walks.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Logan Sutter – 16-game on-base (since May 21, 2024), on-base safely multiple times in all 14 games
• Albert Choi – 14-game on-base (as a Boilermaker)
• Brandon Anderson – 13-game on-base, 12-game run scored
• Carter Doorn – 14 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run
Aaron Manias doubled to right field in his first at-bat of the night, continuing his hot hitting over the last week. At that point, Manias had eight hits in his last 10 at-bats, with six of the eight knocks going for extra bases. On this night, he scored the game's first run on an infield hit from Lukas Cook and later chipped in a sacrifice fly to make it 6-1 Purdue in the fifth inning.
Doorn induced a pair of ground ball double plays, including a 1-6-3 twin killing he started himself while erasing a game-opening single. He retired six consecutive batters across the fourth and fifth innings.
As Doorn's batterymate, Houston Russell singled twice and reached base safely in all four of his plate appearances. He delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Lukas Cook in the second inning.
The three-game series continues Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
Logan Sutter hit a two-run homer in the third inning to extend the Boilermakers' lead to 5-0. He went opposite field again in his next at-bat, connecting for a double just below the yellow home run line on the right field wall at U.S. Bank Stadium. Sutter has reached base safely at least twice in each of the first 14 games as Purdue has roared out to a 13-1 start.
The Boilermakers won their eighth straight Big Ten opener dating back to 2017. They've won eight of their last 11 games vs. the Gophers (5-6) in Minneapolis going back to the same year.
Choi robbed a likely home run with a leaping catch at the center field wall to open the bottom of the second inning. On the next pitch, Anderson made a nifty sliding catch in left field. But Anderson's most impressive play of the night was a leaping grab on the equivalent of the warning track for the first out of the fourth inning.
All three catches helped Carter Doorn pitch into the sixth inning while throwing just 80 pitches. The senior surrendered only three hits and an unearned run, giving him a streak of 14 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Doorn (3-0) has not surrendered an earned run in three of his four outings this season, all as Purdue's series-opening starter. He lowered his ERA to 0.47 through 19 innings.
Michael Vallone and Avery Cook both escaped bases-loaded jams while accounting for the most significant outs of the game. Vallone won lefty-lefty matchups vs. Minnesota's 6- and 7-hole hitters to leave the bases full of Gophers in the sixth inning. He struck out Charlie Sutherland for the final out after an extended at-bat in which the count went full.
Cook had to go through the top of the Minnesota lineup with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to close out the game. He struck out the leadoff man, retired the 3-hole hitter on a short fly ball to right field and induced a game-ending comebacker off the bat of the cleanup hitter.
Thanks in part to the catches by Choi and Anderson, all three of which came on balls hit by the heart of the lineup, Minnesota's 3-4-5 hitters were a combined 0-for-11 with two walks.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Logan Sutter – 16-game on-base (since May 21, 2024), on-base safely multiple times in all 14 games
• Albert Choi – 14-game on-base (as a Boilermaker)
• Brandon Anderson – 13-game on-base, 12-game run scored
• Carter Doorn – 14 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run
Aaron Manias doubled to right field in his first at-bat of the night, continuing his hot hitting over the last week. At that point, Manias had eight hits in his last 10 at-bats, with six of the eight knocks going for extra bases. On this night, he scored the game's first run on an infield hit from Lukas Cook and later chipped in a sacrifice fly to make it 6-1 Purdue in the fifth inning.
Doorn induced a pair of ground ball double plays, including a 1-6-3 twin killing he started himself while erasing a game-opening single. He retired six consecutive batters across the fourth and fifth innings.
As Doorn's batterymate, Houston Russell singled twice and reached base safely in all four of his plate appearances. He delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Lukas Cook in the second inning.
The three-game series continues Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
Logan Sutter | SR | IF@PurdueBaseball
— Blaine Peterson (@BPonbase) March 8, 2025
Swing on an opposite field 2-run HR. Physical RHH that has been on a tear at the plate early on this season. Hitting over .500 with now 5 HR & 26 RBI thru 14 games. #MLBDraft | @LoganSutter5 pic.twitter.com/YvsEjC7cjG