WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Michael Vallone and Austin Klug teamed up for seven innings of one-run relief, but Purdue Baseball was unable to overcome an early five-run deficit in a 6-3 loss to Rutgers on Sunday that denied the Boilermakers of a three-game series sweep.
While the series win was critical for Purdue (22-13, 5-10 Big Ten) as part of its only home weekend of the month, the Boilers also remained winless (0-5) in Big Ten series finales this season.
The Scarlet Knights (17-19, 6-9 Big Ten) staved off a sweep on the road for the second Sunday in a row. They'll be at home three of the next four weekends, with the only road trip during that stretch being to last-place Ohio State (April 25-27).
Rutgers scored all six of its runs via nine hits and a pair of sac flies over the first two times through the lineup. Matt Chatelle connected for a two-run homer to break a 1-1 tie in the second inning and Ty Doucette led off the following frame with a blast to center field.
Houston Russell went deep with a runner aboard in the eighth inning to get Purdue back in the game. But Russell's first home run as a Boilermaker was also the first extra-base hit of the day for the home team. The Boilers were unable to get the tying run to the plate after RU went up 4-1 in the top of the second.
Rutgers starter Justin Shadek responded after a rocky first inning that saw him issue four straight free passes (3 walks, 1 HBP) with two outs to gift Purdue a run. The Boilermakers left the bases loaded and Shadek went on to retire the 13 of the final 15 batters he faced, striking out seven over five innings of two-hit ball.
Vallone worked four innings of three-hit relief, allowing a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the third. The lefty pitched seven innings of one-run relief over two appearances in the series, surrendering just five hits. Sunday marked the eighth time this season Vallone has accounted for at least eight outs in a relief appearance. He's surrendered no more than two runs in any of those appearances and continues to lead the staff with a 2.61 ERA, .190 batting average against and 45 strikeouts.
Klug's three innings of one-hit relief, punctuated by a 1-2-3 top of the ninth vs. RU's 4-5-6 hitters, was his best outing of the season. The first-year Boilermaker also bounced back nicely after giving up a walk-off homer to the only batter he faced last Sunday at Washington.
Keenan Spence ended an 0-for-23 slump with a three-hit game. Russell hit safely in both of his at-bats off the bench. But the rest of Purdue's lineup was a combined 2-for-28. Rutgers did not issue another free pass after the first inning.
Russell and Spence had consecutive two-out singles in the bottom of the sixth, the first inning facing RU's Luke Fithian. Ty Gill nearly made it three straight hits, but Gill's scorching line drive ended up in the glove of Fithian to end the frame and scoring threat.
The Boilermakers are back in action Monday for a 1 p.m. matinee vs. Arizona State, a first-time visitor to Alexander Field. The Sun Devils were in Cincinnati this weekend for a Big 12 Conference series against the UC Bearcats. It will be the first-ever Monday game at Alexander. Purdue has not played on a Monday since April 2021.
While the series win was critical for Purdue (22-13, 5-10 Big Ten) as part of its only home weekend of the month, the Boilers also remained winless (0-5) in Big Ten series finales this season.
The Scarlet Knights (17-19, 6-9 Big Ten) staved off a sweep on the road for the second Sunday in a row. They'll be at home three of the next four weekends, with the only road trip during that stretch being to last-place Ohio State (April 25-27).
Rutgers scored all six of its runs via nine hits and a pair of sac flies over the first two times through the lineup. Matt Chatelle connected for a two-run homer to break a 1-1 tie in the second inning and Ty Doucette led off the following frame with a blast to center field.
Houston Russell went deep with a runner aboard in the eighth inning to get Purdue back in the game. But Russell's first home run as a Boilermaker was also the first extra-base hit of the day for the home team. The Boilers were unable to get the tying run to the plate after RU went up 4-1 in the top of the second.
Rutgers starter Justin Shadek responded after a rocky first inning that saw him issue four straight free passes (3 walks, 1 HBP) with two outs to gift Purdue a run. The Boilermakers left the bases loaded and Shadek went on to retire the 13 of the final 15 batters he faced, striking out seven over five innings of two-hit ball.
Vallone worked four innings of three-hit relief, allowing a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the third. The lefty pitched seven innings of one-run relief over two appearances in the series, surrendering just five hits. Sunday marked the eighth time this season Vallone has accounted for at least eight outs in a relief appearance. He's surrendered no more than two runs in any of those appearances and continues to lead the staff with a 2.61 ERA, .190 batting average against and 45 strikeouts.
Klug's three innings of one-hit relief, punctuated by a 1-2-3 top of the ninth vs. RU's 4-5-6 hitters, was his best outing of the season. The first-year Boilermaker also bounced back nicely after giving up a walk-off homer to the only batter he faced last Sunday at Washington.
Keenan Spence ended an 0-for-23 slump with a three-hit game. Russell hit safely in both of his at-bats off the bench. But the rest of Purdue's lineup was a combined 2-for-28. Rutgers did not issue another free pass after the first inning.
Russell and Spence had consecutive two-out singles in the bottom of the sixth, the first inning facing RU's Luke Fithian. Ty Gill nearly made it three straight hits, but Gill's scorching line drive ended up in the glove of Fithian to end the frame and scoring threat.
The Boilermakers are back in action Monday for a 1 p.m. matinee vs. Arizona State, a first-time visitor to Alexander Field. The Sun Devils were in Cincinnati this weekend for a Big 12 Conference series against the UC Bearcats. It will be the first-ever Monday game at Alexander. Purdue has not played on a Monday since April 2021.